Cups and Balls ala Count Arthur Strong

[Matthew Field]

I really like this guy, and his Cups and Balls is a presentation I haven't seen before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCRRt51eJR8

Matt Field

[PapaG]

Going to see his stage show in a few months. Off topic but I think Linehan has really emasculated Delaney's creation. The radio show is/was pure genius.

[AJM]

From the makers of Father Ted.

Andrew

[Q. Kumber]

He reminds me of Harry Worth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GqPVzzxggI

[Joneseymagic]

He actually fooled me for a while! It took me a couple of minutes to figure out how the paper ball vanished! LOL

[Travis]

Still has me fooled with the paper ball.

[Jonathan Townsend]

He actually fooled me for a while! It took me a couple of minutes to figure out how the paper ball vanished! LOL

Kent Gunn has something using a more modern (and practical) approach in his cups routine.

[Travis]

There's a real simple beauty to this. I love the fact that there is no 'proving'. The magic is implied, and inferred, by the circumstances. Audience assumptions over sleights and showy proving procedures. No cups are actually turned toward us to be shown empty. We simply assume it by the way in which they're handled. In fact, all three cups are not lifted until the end. It's really magical and funny, and, clearly, context is everything.

True, any viewer can review this and realize that the lime was always present, but they'll still be fooled (as I am) as to where the paper has gone. And I submit that in a live performance scenario, with no opportunity of instant replay, the appearance of the lime would mystify many.

So simple and direct. I love it.

[Brad Jeffers]

I also found this to be very appealing.

Entertaining, deceptive, and brief - qualities woefully lacking in many cups and balls routines.

As for the vanish of the paper ball - that is really nice. Very deceptive for sure.

[Jonathan Townsend]

There's a real simple beauty to this. ... Audience assumptions ...proving procedures... but they'll still be fooled (as I am) ...the appearance of the lime would mystify many.

So simple and direct. I love it.

even simpler when one avoids shifting from hypothetical "they" (audience) to presumed "we" (that's they plus I) and sits comfortably with "I".

The setup/transport for such routines gets cumbersome. Fine for theater but less practical for the table hopper.