Breakaway Fan

This classic prop can be used in many comedy effects and gives the performer an item to use in an audience participation act. The performer produces a fan and then fans some item, explaining that it must be fanned in order to operate properly. He then hands the fan to the “victim” selected from the audience, and tells them to be sure to keep fanning.

As the spectator takes the fan and attempts to open it, the fan opens up into separate segments and the spectator finds it impossible to do anything with it. The more he turns the fan, the more it becomes confused. The performer then takes it and with a few twists it again becomes normal. However whenever anyone else attempts to use it, the fan falls apart again.