talkmagic.co.uk

Hey folks,

I've been putting in a bit of work on the cups and balls, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the exposure so often seen "I don't put the ball in the pouch/my pocket, I cheat... like this and drop it from behind the cup. Do you see?"
I've seen Tommy Wonder and Michael Ammar's handlings, but is there something more like the Vernon/Cellini/Gazzo style handling that doesn't use an exposure before moving on to the final loads?

As I said, I'm not sure how I feel about the exposure; I'm just looking for some inspiration (though opinions either way are more than welcome since cups and balls threads often turn out to be quite an interesting read).

Cheers.

Well, usually the exposure you're talking about doesn't actually expose the real method, so you can still fool people by using the true secret (the extra ball). I'm still working on it myself, but I preface the exposure by saying, "I'm going to tell you how it's done, but even after you know, it'll still fool you." Basically any time people's attention is focused on an area of the table, you can use that as misdirection for the final loads. I suspect that if you analyze Penn and Teller's cups and balls, you can find way to get the final loads without exposing the false transfer or palm.

Just leave the "exposure" part out if you don't like it and do the vanish from hands to under the cups, penetrations from cup to cup, balls jumping from one cup to another and to a selected cup, balls from pocket to cup, then show the potatoes/onions/lemons/whatever under the cups they could've selected instead. The routine has so many elements to choose from that there is no need to touch on a particular part if you don't like it. Just concentrate on building a routine that has all the elements you do like.

SC - Yeah, I know it's only a partial exposure. The "I'll still fool you" aspect is part of what I like about giving away the "secret". Especially as the secret can be shown in a way you never use (french drop for example, or by fake take). I suppose that could be even more effective with Ammar style vanishes instead of the usual ones - especially as the ball is seen in the hand it vanishes from in that handling... in that case it becomes a flat-out lie rather than an exposure.
I've not looked closelt at P&T's handling since I started learning the cups though, I probably should revisit that one. :p

VE - I'm not sure that I don't like it. I'm just not sure about it. I'm in two minds whether it adds to the routine or not. I agree with what you say about just doing the bits I like. I'm having a fun time taking inspiration from all over the place rather than learning one person's routine. I'm even leaving out some things I really like because I don't think it adds to what I'm doing... I keep looking for an excuse to include Tommy Wonder's bit with the pompom from the pag appearing under a cup and then the pom under one and bag under the other. That really is one of my favourite cups and balls moments but I'm leaving it to Tommy for this one.