Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
MagicbyAlfred
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Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 18th, 2019, 9:55 am

An issue I have gone back and forth on for quite some time is this: When I perform the cups and balls or a chop cup routine, should I use the traditional metal cups or instead, coffee cups (or perhaps some other "ordinary" looking cup(s}? I have a set of Sherwood cups and Sherwood custom made balls, which I use, along with a lovely wand for my cups and balls routine. On one hand, I feel like I should be using these, as they are beautiful, and l I always saw the routine as a traditional classic, employing metal cups and a wand. I also typically use an Ickle Pickle Chalice chop cup (using patter about a popular trick the magicians performed throughout taverns in Europe in Medieval times). On the other hand, because a layman is likely to view the traditional cups and/or the Chalice or other style chop cup as a "magician's prop" or even a gimmick, I have wondered whether it is stronger to do the cups and balls or one-cup routine using, for example, coffee cups? (I have been told that Corelle Ware is a good choice, as it won't break if dropped).

I remember once i forgot to bring my chop cup (a close-up staple for me) to a party. When I realized this, I secured a couple grapes and 3 lemons from the kitchen, and using a coffee mug, I performed the "chop cup" that way (if you finger _ _ _ m a grape, you can get by quite nicely with a sleight of hand method for the chop cup.) Although I have always received very strong reactions for the chop cup, especially with the production of 3 lemons, the reactions using the coffee mug and grapes seemed even stronger than usual.

Anyway, I am very interested to hear the members' views and experiences on this subject...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Bob Farmer » January 19th, 2019, 8:52 am

The best one-cup routine there is--even better, I think, than any Chop Cup routine (since there are no gaffs) is Roy Cottee's Dixie Cuppa Magic, in Genii, February 2005. Vol. 68; No. 2. I did this for years. It's got a killer ending.

My odd take on all this is here (three cups, one ball):

https://www.lybrary.com/cyclops-p-922121.html

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 19th, 2019, 10:59 am

Bob Farmer wrote:The best one-cup routine there is--even better, I think, than any Chop Cup routine (since there are no gaffs) is Roy Cottee's Dixie Cuppa Magic, in Genii, February 2005. Vol. 68; No. 2. I did this for years. It's got a killer ending.

My odd take on all this is here (three cups, one ball):

https://www.lybrary.com/cyclops-p-922121.html


The Cyclops routine on Library.com is intriguing, lotta action and magic -- although I wonder how it would play for beings with two or more eyes.

I think John Carney's "Fruit Cup," which I first came across in Carneycopia, and later saw John perform on video, definitely deserves honorable mention. Done with a non-gaffed coffee mug, a table knife as a "wand," and borrowed balled-up dollar bill as the "ball." After a lemon is produced as a final load, it is cut open to find a balled-up bill. When the bill is opened up, it is missing a corner, and the corner of the bill that was torn off at the beginning of the routine and given to the spectator to hold as a receipt, of course fits perfectly. Thus combining two of the strongest tricks in magic (IMHO) into one seemingly impromptu routine. I am sure many members here are familiar with it and maybe some perform it. I have put off working it out and adding this to my repertoire, but I think the time has come...

I think I would load a second lemon, as well, under the cup (pretty easy, due to the strong misdirection provided by production of the first lemon) and then reveal lemon number two under the cup as an added kicker after the bill in lemon phase.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby erdnasephile » January 19th, 2019, 11:07 am

Alfred:
Based on your post and your experience with the grapes, I think you'd really like one of the routines on John Carney's new (ish) DVD: https://carneymagic.com/product/caffein ... and-balls/

He teaches a routine that not only uses tea cups, but also some very novel (and fooling) maneuvers using grapes as the balls of the routine. Like all his publications, the material is extremely well thought out, original, practical, clever, fooling, and entertaining.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 19th, 2019, 12:11 pm

erdnasephile wrote:Alfred:
Based on your post and your experience with the grapes, I think you'd really like one of the routines on John Carney's new (ish) DVD: https://carneymagic.com/product/caffein ... and-balls/

He teaches a routine that not only uses tea cups, but also some very novel (and fooling) maneuvers using grapes as the balls of the routine. Like all his publications, the material is extremely well thought out, original, practical, clever, fooling, and entertaining.


WOW! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Looks like I'm not going to be able to resist buying myself a belated Christmas gift. Carney combines a casual, off the cuff manner, squeaky-clean execution, and profound magical thinking...And as you said, entertaining.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Leonard Hevia » January 19th, 2019, 12:42 pm

Allright Alfred--here's Michael Skinner's Impromptu Cups and Balls with 3 teacups, cherries, and a butter knife as a wand. It was an appearance on the Johnny Carson Show in June 1973. Steve Pellegrino sells the PDF tutorial of this routine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zgjgu-61G8

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 19th, 2019, 2:46 pm

Thank you, Leonard, it's beautiful! It is excellent that he has cups with rims on the bottom too. Smooth and natural, and fantastic timing and misdirection. And the patter goes so well with the moves. I think Carson and the others were extra-impressed that he used ordinary coffee cups and cherries. I have always been a believer in 4 (not just 3) final loads and using fruits as opposed to big balls for the denouement, just as Skinner did, but as Harry Lorayne is fond of saying, "to each their own."

Only caveat - I gotta say, I'm still not a fan of Vernon's false explanation, which ironically, is a true explanation of an important sleight - the finger_ _ _ m. Just don't think it's necessary for the routine. That said, Skinner was a true master, with the skills and sparkle that inevitably resulted from working night after night for over 20 years at the Golden Nugget. I have bookmarked the clip for further study...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Tom Gilbert » January 20th, 2019, 8:07 am

For a somewhat different approach, in the Paul Harris books, he does a "one cup" routine with a small sausage can.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 20th, 2019, 8:51 am

OK, that triggered another memory from the distant past. Every once in a while I have an accident - and a thought strikes me. It was, I believe, an English or Scottish magician who performed a chop cup routine with a cleverly adapted Green Giant pea can and an artificial pea as a ball. I may have seen it on a long-gone VHS format video with various magicians teaching their chop cup routines. It was brilliant...

I'm sure someone knows who this was...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Joe Lyons » January 20th, 2019, 12:32 pm

I believe it was Martin Lewis.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 20th, 2019, 1:28 pm

Yes, I believe that's right. Thank you, Joe. And I believe he made the "pea can" by cutting down a Pringles Potato Chip container and affixing a Green Giant label around it. And he somehow installed the necessary gimmickry in the bottom of the container and in the makeshift "pea." Very creative...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Joe Lyons » January 20th, 2019, 1:59 pm

MagicbyAlfred wrote:
Only caveat - I gotta say, I'm still not a fan of Vernon's false explanation, which ironically, is a true explanation of an important sleight - the finger_ _ _ m.


I agree. I am not a fan of explanations in general, much less one that exposes an actual sleight.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Bob Farmer » January 20th, 2019, 3:54 pm

I worked out the Vernon routine using a Chop Cup and Balls presentation. It makes the whole thing a lot easier. I'll have to dig it out. These are still available:

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic ... ium-combo/

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S5482

A key thing in the Vernon Routine is that two times you are apparently putting a small ball in your pocket there is nothing in your hand. You steal a large ball. So, rather than putting the large load balls in my pocket, which could result in a fumble or a hang up, I used a billiard ball holder clipped onto my belt at the back under my suit coat. This made the steals super fast and with no chance of fumbling.

I still have a set of Ross Bertram cups with original bag and balls, if anyone's interested and has lots of money.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 20th, 2019, 5:56 pm

OK what I'm about to ask is not strictly speaking within the narrow topic of this thread, but it does relate to the broad topic of cups and balls. The first routine I learned was essentially Vernon's, but I quickly branched out from there. For example, I never felt comfortable starting the routine along the lines of, "A trick using 3 cups and 3 balls," and just showing the spectators 3 balls that were apparently taken out of the pocket or one of the cups. I felt (and still do) that it's not very magical. So I have the cups stacked in the beginning with a ball secreted in each cup. I flip each cup in succession in the air so that it does a full revolution and place it down. When this is done smartly, they do not see the ball inside. Thus the cups are implicitly shown empty without saying so. At this point, I am 3 ahead, with a ball under each cup. I won't elaborate, so this post doesn't get too long, but the balls are then magically produced. I feel this is a preferable way to start, i.e. with a production, getting more magical mileage out of the routine, and avoiding the mundane (non-magical) introduction of the balls.

I'd be interested to learn others views and thinking on this...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 20th, 2019, 9:42 pm

MagicbyAlfred wrote: starting the routine along the lines of, "A trick using 3 cups and 3 balls," and just showing the spectators 3 balls that were apparently taken out of the pocket or one of the cups. I felt (and still do) that it's not very magical.
The Vernon routine also has some play with the cups and the wand before setting the stage for that first ball vanish sequence. Are you doing that opening display with the cups measured bigger inside and passing through eachother?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 20th, 2019, 10:18 pm

I never have done the measuring schtick.

I used to do the cup through cup until I got my Sherwood cups. But even then, as implausible as it might seem to us, the way layman think, they may be more likely to interpret it as "trick cups" than appreciate the excellent illusion it is, thus undermining the magic in the routine.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Larry Horowitz » January 21st, 2019, 3:40 am

This past Saturday at breakfast these were the props handed to me. Metal butter cups. I used Cherries and then mint candies for the final load. A three phase routine.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/09tNe97 ... dqkVAOEgUA

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 21st, 2019, 7:31 am

The butter cups look really neat! I had never seen or thought about that way of doing the trick before. But butter late than never. Love the concept though. A table knife as a "wand" would go particularly well. And it's great when you can make a mint doing magic...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Leonard Hevia » January 21st, 2019, 1:19 pm

Hi Alfred--I also agree that bringing out the three balls from the pocket at the beginning is decidedly less magical than producing then from the wand or under the cups. Charlie Miller must have thought this as well cuz he starts with just one ball and gradually splits it into three. This is described in the Johnny Thompson book set. The best description of the cup deeper on the inside move with the wand, and the wand thru cup move is in John Carney's Book of Secrets.

Brian Watson developed a cup thru cup move that looks more deceptive than the classic version:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jN8mxjqWz6s

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 21st, 2019, 3:10 pm

Leonard Hevia wrote:Hi Alfred--I also agree that bringing out the three balls from the pocket at the beginning is decidedly less magical than producing then from the wand or under the cups. Charlie Miller must have thought this as well cuz he starts with just one ball and gradually splits it into three. This is described in the Johnny Thompson book set. The best description of the cup deeper on the inside move with the wand, and the wand thru cup move is in John Carney's Book of Secrets.

Brian Watson developed a cup thru cup move that looks more deceptive than the classic version:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jN8mxjqWz6s


Hey Leo! I hadn't been aware that Charlie did the splitting thing. I always associated that with sponge balls, but never saw or thought of it within the context of the Cups & Balls. A nice idea to be sure. You are clearly a very well-read magician.

For my chop cup routine, I usually produce the ball from a spectator's ear (Ramsey Subtlety works well beforehand). It may sound corny, and obviously it is a time-worn cliche with a coin. But, funny thing is, it gets a nice laugh, and in my view, it beats introducing even just one ball by merely taking it out of my pocket, a bag, or the cup itself - unless it is somehow magically produced from under the cup, or better yet, appears on top of it (which is also a maneuver i sometimes employ to introduce the ball, and which makes for a wonderful surprise).

I checked out Brian Watson's take on the cup through cup move and his thinking makes sense. Looks good in the execution of it too.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Leonard Hevia » January 21st, 2019, 5:14 pm

Alfred--this is a DVD you should have. Miller performs and explains his routine, which parallels much of your approach:

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S7974

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 21st, 2019, 6:12 pm

Excellent suggestion, Leo! Charlie Miller AND Johnny Thompson together, and also a teaching segment on the Egg Bag which, IMHO, is one of the greatest, but most widely overlooked classics - for both close up and platform (packs small, plays huge, particularly when the spectator "assistant(s) is/are made the focal point). That, plus it looks like some card material. They are out of stock at the moment, but I will keep my eyes peeled.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 21st, 2019, 6:30 pm

BTW I think Carl Andrews' Table Hopping Cups and Balls is a wonderful routine. He uses two standard metal cups (as, for example, David Williamson and Tommy Wonder) and a Sharpie as a "wand." The video was given to me by a friend, and I have enjoyed it immensely and have learned from it. Carl, a real seasoned pro, who works in Hawaii, produces 3 sponge balls as final loads and segues right into a fabulous, creative sponge ball routine. One of the things that struck me was that Carl believes sponge balls are as strong of a final load as fruit, because it is primarily the surprise of a different and larger object (not necessarily what kind of object) that gets the spectators. I don't know if I agree on that point. While sponge balls are clearly better from a pocket management standpoint and the ability to go right into a follow-up sponge ball routine, I personally believe the surprise and the magic is significantly enhanced by the sheer incongruity of the appearance of fruit - be it a one, two, or three cup routine. I like to use a lemon, lime, orange, and either an apple or potato for my routine. I think the contrast of the colors is another element that gives it the WOW factor. But going back to Harry - "To each their own."

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Bob Farmer » January 21st, 2019, 8:20 pm

For magical appearances, see Marcelo Contento's ball moves, Apocalypse, November, 1995.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 22nd, 2019, 1:33 pm

Just tried out something I had only previously done with a coin. Produced the ball for the chop cup out of the flames after lighting a piece of flash paper. I was worried about this when I first thought of it because I use the little knit sweater balls, but if you give the ball a little toss upward instead of holding out until the paper burns down, there is no real risk of singeing it, and it looks great - quite magical. And when the ball is held in finger _ _ _ m when holding up/displying the flash paper, there is a built in Ramsey Subtlety

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Leonard Hevia » January 22nd, 2019, 8:07 pm

MagicbyAlfred wrote:Just tried out something I had only previously done with a coin. Produced the ball for the chop cup out of the flames after lighting a piece of flash paper. I was worried about this when I first thought of it because I use the little knit sweater balls, but if you give the ball a little toss upward instead of holding out until the paper burns down, there is no real risk of singeing it, and it looks great - quite magical. And when the ball is held in finger _ _ _ m when holding up/displying the flash paper, there is a built in Ramsey Subtlety


Well--Eugene Burger pointed out that there is no trick that can't be improved with flash paper. Here's an apocryphal flash paper story I read from Lance Pierce that I'd like to believe really happened:

Flash paper has long been a staple of magicians. The story of "Dorny" Dornfield (one of Chicago's true originals) comes to mind, who was hanging out one day in the back of Joe Berg's magic shop in Chicago. A large shipment of flash paper had just arrived and Berg was busy unpacking the material and checking in the merchandise while Dorny stood nearby, talking in his grand manner and relating his tall tales. As he gestured carelessly, waving his hands to make a vital point, a small, almost microscopic, ash from his trademark cigar fell to the table.

WHHOOOOOOOOOOSH! The explosion was nearly blinding as the flame swept across the table in a matter of seconds. The two men stood for a minute, dazed and shocked. "My God," said Joe, who's going to pay for all that flash paper?" Dorny looked around him for a moment, blank-faced, took a long puff on his cigar and, after some consideration, said, "What flash paper?"

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 23rd, 2019, 8:21 am

Great story, Leo! Takes the exploding cigar concept to a whole new level. It's a funny story - but luckily no one was seriously injured.

Yes, I remember reading that quote by Eugene a few years ago and it definitely struck a chord with me. Although the only time I have used flash paper for a production prior to recently trying it with the ball for the chop cup, was to produce a Morgan silver dollar. This is mainly as a way of approaching a table and doing something magical to catch their attention, but avoiding what can be the awkward, "Hi, I'm a magician, would you like to see some magic?" With the flash paper production, you've already done some magic without having to ask. Upon a favorable reaction (which is far more often than not), you now have a smoother entree and opening to do more, such as continuing into a one-coin routine with the silver dollar - and then, more, if they are receptive.

One other place I use the flash paper is in the simple transformation of a card. For example, after a selection, the "wrong" card is revealed and set face-down on the table or bar.. I then take out a little balled-up piece of flash paper and place it on the back of the card, pattering about the old alchemists who could change one element into another - and then I light it. It adds a lot of pizazz to the trick and gets a great reaction. I might just add the warning to be very careful about the use of flash paper with spectators in close proximity - otherwise you might find that the premiums go way up on your Magician"s Insurance Policy.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Al Schneider » January 23rd, 2019, 6:19 pm

Early in my magic career, a friend hired me to work his booth at a trade show. He was selling financial services. He was also a magician. While running the booth we had trouble getting people stopping to see magic. So, he went out and bought a candle and some flash paper. He believed that could bring the customers in. We lit the candle and when someone walked by I sent a ball of fire into the air. The result: the customers saw the light and accelerated past the table. It also accelerated my understanding of what not to do at a booth. Later I found that putting some simple puzzles on the table pulled people in like a magnet.
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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby magicfish » January 24th, 2019, 9:06 pm

Interesting stuff. I always enjoyed Paul Daniels' Chop Cup routine.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 24th, 2019, 9:25 pm

Yes, it is a very clever and unique routine. The patter and his byplay with the spectator are exceedingly well-suited to the moves, and his timing is impeccable. Because he used a big white chop ball, what is normally considered a close-up routine, could be performed on the stage. And he understood how to choreograph it to make it play big. I always got a kick out of the gag where he has the ball sitting on top of the inverted cup and asks the spectator where the ball is? When the answer is inevitably, "On top of the cup," he points out that, no, it's actually on the bottom - since the cup is upside down.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Bill Mullins » January 25th, 2019, 12:51 am

I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a magic routine than at the first time I saw Stephen Bargatze do his chop cup.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby magicfish » January 25th, 2019, 1:46 am

MagicbyAlfred wrote:Yes, it is a very clever and unique routine. The patter and his byplay with the spectator are exceedingly well-suited to the moves, and his timing is impeccable. Because he used a big white chop ball, what is normally considered a close-up routine, could be performed on the stage. And he understood how to choreograph it to make it play big. I always got a kick out of the gag where he has the ball sitting on top of the inverted cup and asks the spectator where the ball is? When the answer is inevitably, "On top of the cup," he points out that, no, it's actually on the bottom - since the cup is upside down.

Yes. That was a great moment . I really want to master a cup(s) and ball routine . I'm at that stage in my life. An egg bag as well.

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 25th, 2019, 9:51 am

magic fish wrote: "I really want to master a cup(s) and ball routine. I'm at that stage in my life."

I am sure you will enjoy the journey. No other routine has given me more pleasure to work on and perform, or gets better reactions (although Signed Card on Ceiling is a strong contender). I was at that "stage in my life" around age 6, when I acquired my first set of cups and balls - the plastic set with the little puff balls, which I believe came with the "Sneaky Pete" Magic set my parents got me for Christmas. Decades later, I am still at the stage of wanting to master the routine, but I am still having a blast with it. I think the tendency of many magicians is to simply copy the Vernon routine and not to make it their own, a sin of which I was guilty for a long time. There are still substantial aspects of my routine for which I owe a debt to Vernon and others (especially the great Bill Malone), but I have added some of my own modest touches.

The cups and balls is a classic and a classy trick, and will always be a winner, and it provides unlimited opportunities for creativity. And it's just plain fun to do. Speaking of creativity, two magicians who immediately come to mind, among many whose routines I have witnessed, are Johnny Ace Palmer (it's tough to beat final loads consisting of baby chicks) and David Regal, who has constructed a truly ingenious and unique routine. Of course, Ricky Jay's History Lesson deserves mention as well. I am sure there are many members on here who do a splendid routine, which unfortunately, I may never get the chance to see...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Brad Jeffers » January 25th, 2019, 5:43 pm

MagicbyAlfred wrote: Johnny Ace Palmer
Check out this video ...

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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby erdnasephile » January 25th, 2019, 6:08 pm

David Roth has an interesting take regarding a potential difficulty of cups and balls routines in one of his lecture DVD's.

He says the difficult part about cups and balls is that you basically do the same moves over and over which gives the audience a lot of opportunity to compare feints with their authentic counterparts. Therefore, your technique had better be really good if you want to fool them with the cups and balls.

I had never thought about that before, but I think that makes a lot of sense.

Another bit of advice I have come to appreciate was Vernon's when he kept admonishing that no matter what, you've got to keep moving in a cups and balls routine. "Don't stop. Don't stop."

MagicbyAlfred
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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 25th, 2019, 9:03 pm

Brad Jeffers wrote:
MagicbyAlfred wrote: Johnny Ace Palmer
Check out this video ...


Vintage footage of Johnny Ace! He has clearly come a long way since performing that routine 40 years ago (and it was, indeed, a long routine). But even back then he was quite charming and engaging, and his love of magic shined through. I gotta say my favorite part of the routine was when he said he was going to "tap the cups with some pixie dust," then corrected himself to say "you don't tap cups with pixie dust, you use a wand," and bang - the cane suddenly appeared in his hands. I had never seen or heard of anyone doing the appearing cane in a cups and balls routine before, or even as a close up effect, but even then, Johnny clearly had A flair for the unusual and the element of surprise. Surprised the hell out of me. Love it!

MagicbyAlfred
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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby MagicbyAlfred » January 25th, 2019, 9:13 pm

erdnasephile wrote:David Roth has an interesting take regarding a potential difficulty of cups and balls routines in one of his lecture DVD's.

He says the difficult part about cups and balls is that you basically do the same moves over and over which gives the audience a lot of opportunity to compare feints with their authentic counterparts. Therefore, your technique had better be really good if you want to fool them with the cups and balls.

I had never thought about that before, but I think that makes a lot of sense...


Yes, it does make sense. But it would arguably make even more sense not to do the same moves over and over. Roth's admonition assumes that it is necessary to do so in the cups and balls, when it's really not. Even putting aside the likelihood of getting busted or arousing undue suspicion, it is not very captivating for the audience to see the performer repeatedly do the same moves. Variety is the spice of life - and of magic!

magicfish
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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby magicfish » January 25th, 2019, 11:26 pm

David Williamson won the Gold Cups for his 2 Cup routine.
Paul Daniel's had a legendary Chop Cup
Palmer had the chicks.
Carney is sublime.
The Professor is the man.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a routine I could start with? Something to ease me in?
I love Al Schneiders.

Joe Mckay
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Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Joe Mckay » January 25th, 2019, 11:37 pm

I don't perform the Cups & Balls, but I still have a recommendation.

You see - I am a big fan of Peter Kane. And as part of my study of his work I discovered a very clever cups & balls sequence he put together. The construction is sneaky. Tommy Wonder was a big fan of it as well and he teaches the sequence in volume 2 of the Books of Wonder.

It is worth checking out.

Joe Mckay
Posts: 2026
Joined: April 13th, 2008, 6:56 am
Favorite Magician: Lubor Fiedler
Location: Durham, England

Re: Your Views on Cups & Balls and One Cup Routines

Postby Joe Mckay » January 25th, 2019, 11:40 pm

My favourite routine by Ricky Jay was his cups & balls.

It is beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwF1ec4Ji7Y


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