Worldwide Escape Artist Relay
October 29, 2005

Dr. Wilson Joins Escape Artists Around the World!

On October 29, 2005, Dr. Wilson was part of the largest coordinated performance by escape artists in history! The Worldwide Escape Artist Relay circled the globe as escape artists around the world performed a variety of thrilling escapes. Each performer documented his or her performance as it took place. Over fifty escape artists from Australia to California agreed to participate. The participants in the Worldwide Escape Artist Relay, men and women, young and old, novices and seasoned pros emerging from retirement, united to restore the Art of Escape to its rightful place in the public imagination!

In his escape attempt for the Worldwide Escape Artist Relay, Dr. Wilson escaped from the dread Chrysalis, an escape long considered unlucky in the close-knit world of escape artists. In the Chrysalis escape, the escape artist is padlocked into an iron slave collar and manacles. Chains attached to the collar and manacles are wrapped around the escape artist's body in a configuration resembling the confinement of a strait jacket. The escape artist is then blindfolded, hooded, and covered in a cowl, which is then wrapped tightly in chains secured by padlocks.

The Chrysalis escape has been neglected by escape artists since the untimely death in 1967 of Australian escape artist Roger MacKenzie at the age of 37 while attempting the Chrysalis. The cause of death was heart failure, brought on by the heat, a grueling performing schedule, and the weight and extreme confinement of the Chrysalis rigging.

Dr. Wilson increased the challenge of the Chrysalis by subjecting himself to a full metal detector search prior to confinement. In addition, he used padlocks donated by the audience.

Dr. Wilson's attempt to escape the Chrysalis took place at the Town Hill VIS Hall (adjacent to the Town Hill Fire Station, across the road from the Town Hill Market on State Highway 102) at 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 29, as part of Wilson and Dark's Traveling Carnival and Theater of Marvels, a fundraising event to benefit the West Eden Village Improvement Society.

Read about Roslyn Walker, who also escaped from the Chrysalis on October 29.

Sarah Hinckley of the Mount Desert Islander interviewed Dr. Wilson at home in advance of Wilson & Dark's Traveling Carnival and Theater of Marvels. See her article and photos in the October 19 issue of the Mount Desert Islander.

Check for updates of authenticated escapes at the WEAR update page.

Don't miss the online video from Living Illusions featuring Kristen Johnson's amazing escape from the Water Torture Cell!