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I have heard of a comedy trick/ routine that involves putting a piece of card over a glass of milk and inverting this and placing it on a persons head only to realise the instructions for finishing the trick are printed on the card.

Does this sound familiar to anyone or does anyone know of the gimmick used?

Gottit!!! It's shown on http://www.taurusmagic.net/comedymagic.html but with a can of water. Water on the Brain, £53.00 incl P&P from Derek Lever !

Tom,

I have an old effect very similar, in fact Dale may know its origins.

Its a round metal vase which is chrome finished. Its about 90mm in diameter and the actual water/milk containing section is about 60mm deep. The vase then tapers in to a stem and then opens out into a base like a wine glass. Its total height will be about 110mm.

Although this is a faked gimmick there are other ways to do this effect. PM me Tom.

The trick referred to by Mandrake uses a Foo Can, and is called, apparently, Water on the Brain.

The original is by Don Alan (the name escapes me at the moment).

Every version of this trick is 'way overpriced.

Worse than that, it's not going to fool anyone!

Yes. Its a foo can, used in conjunction with a funny funnel on the elbow..Both items are reasonably easy to get hold of, as Morrisey magic turned them out in their hundreds.

Im sure that a quick search on youtube will provide Paul Daniels seminall routine for these props, which i think was originaly Ken Brooks but i might be wrong .
The idea was, you turn a spectator into a village pump.
Ive had it done to me by Phil Temple way back at a british ring convention...

I still own a Mini Foo Can I bought years and years ago. It was less expensive than a larger one. It came with a placard which reads: "DO NOT REMOVE" I adopted the use of Instant Milk by placing a few drops into the Foo Can prior to performance. So, pouring water into the Foo Can would change. The water would vanish and I would get mileage out of showing the "DO NOT REMOVE" placard. Then once the liquid reappeared, it had magically changed to Milk.

Thanks everyone...thanks to magicdiscoman I have a comedy funnel but more than that part of it I like the self-depricating side of getting the instructions mixed up with the props and the helpless helper...didn't realise a foo can was what I was looking for.

Does anyone know if there are any less "magic prop" looking versions of foo cans out there?

Peter Marucci wrote:Every version of this trick is 'way overpriced. Worse than that, it's not going to fool anyone!

I can't comment on the pricing - but I have seen tthis performed many times for kids (It is after all a kids effect) and it always goes down extremely well. I mean EXTREMELY Well.

I am talking about the full routine with the foo can and funnel - as Dale puts it "the village pump effect". It can get a lot of kids involved and they are in absolute histerics.

It is umlikely it fools adults (although who knows) - but the entertainment value for adults and children alike is enormous.

If you're heading down the foo can and funnel lane then there is a booklet available called "Tips On The Foo Can And Funnel" (imaginative title eh.. )
Only place I can find it is Denny and Lee in America though http://www.dennymagic.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?client=93427194&action=detail&item=002246
As it is a small booklet it should be fairly cheap to have sent over and it only costs $3

Good stuff. I'd play this strickly for comedy...real embarassment factor with the threat of a soaking for the spec. That's why I'd (ideally) like a fairly "innocent" looking can.

I could play it as a trick I just got and have managed to screw up so its looking like a prop isn't the worst sin but I'd rather have the advantage of it looking more impromptu and innocent a prop.

There is also a version of this with eggs.

http://www.funtymemagic.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=88


Big D

I use the comedy funnel and a coffee mug, you show the volunteer the mug empty before you start, poor in water hold the card over the top and turn over the mug, place it on head etc pull the card away.

Then pump the arm and the water comes out of the funnel through the elbow, lift the mug and no water is present.

I am am sure most of you know it uses s---- p----- but it gets good reactions from adults as well as kids and you don't use any funny looking cans!

Hmmmmm.... s---- p----- huh? Interesting idea. Does it stay put though?

i wouldnt use slush . just in case it doesnt work.

you know at a push, i am sure you could make your own Foo can up out of say, an old bean tin.

what you could do, is buy a copy of the magic of lewis s histead, as he has some variations on teh foo can in there that do some unusual things.

I have used s---- loads of times without a problem in my mug. The guy that taught me said to use some sandpaper to roughen the inside if you are worried.

The other thing is to get good stuff and put enough in a heaped teaspoon does it for a mug I find.

When the water goes in you can tell if its worked, if I fail to put enough in which I never have I keep the tub handy and I can add some "magic dust"

I get mine from Adrian Sullivan and its a lot cheaper than most, something like £2 or £3 per tub, its cheap enough so I don't mind putting plenty in, its if you skimp your in trouble!

When the mug is shown as its a white mug nothing is seen which looks a lot better than a funny looking prop.