The night before the show Stan and Paige practiced. Paige
found it a little difficult to curl up in the top half of the box
with her hands out of the box, but Stan suggested it would be
easier if she wore a dress of a slippy fabric. They also found the
catch to release the fake feet was awkward to release with shoes
on, they decided that Stan would remove Paige's shoes when she got
into the box; it would also make getting her legs in easier. The
also agreed to make the illusion much more dramatic, by putting a
blood bag in the bottom of the box and having Paige scream as if
she was being sawn.
Show night arrived and various employees had warbled, juggled
and joked. Stan felt he did not have much to follow. He
and Paige could top them easily. They had drawn last slot, so
Paige so was nervous that she kept hitching up the top of her off
the shoulder satin gown.
The first half of the performance was only slightly marred
when Paige dropped the shiny glass floating ball.
"And for my next and final trick I shall saw my lovely
assistant Paige in half." There was a collective intake of
breath as Paige rolled the box and table onto the small stage.
Stan had to move his small table to the corner of the stage.
Stan helped Paige lie flat in the box and closed the lids
having packed the skirts into the box and reached through the
holes in the lid to get Paige's hands into place. He put the
stocks in place, took off her shoes, then lifted up the shiny
wood saw he had bought for the occasion.