talkmagic.co.uk

I like to do sponge magic for children, and sometimes, since I like to TP the sponge instead of doing the RV, sometimes the sponge ball "flashes". Sometimes, if I'm not comfortable around the audience (even children figure this out sometimes), I've had practiced sponge balls in front of the mirror over and over, for years, sometimes I'm so nervous that I make a mistake, or with the classic palm, the coin falls from my palm! Although it seems once I'm comfortable to the audience the fear seems to go away.

My point is this. Once a child figures out how it's done (And sometimes they are right!) with the retention vanish (I've also had this happen with middle school students, and adults, more often though teenagers) they ask for the sponge balls and then attempt to do it themselves, (In a botched away) which nevertheless gives the secret!

How am I supposed to get around this? The book I'm reading says when you fluff up, to say certain things, such as this (This one was really funny):

"Sorry, the real magician will be here shortly."
Or,

"I had to comphensate for the gravtiational rotation of the earth."

If you have an effect that occasionally flashes or reveals, it may be worth having another trick that works with a similar effect, but different method, so you could say something like.

"well spotted, I was testing to see if you would see that. Now take a look at this, this one's real magic"

And do an effect which looks similar, but has a different method.

Maybe if the second one is impressive enough, and you don't make a big deal of being caught, they'll forget about it, and assume you meant them to see. Then move on to another trick. You don't have to hand out your props for people to play with, especially if you are in the middle of using them for an effect.

I guess if you imply that what you flashed them wasn't "proper" magic, but a test, they're less likely to want to do it themselves.

Just a thought. I'm not much of a performer myself.

Probably the "proper" answer is to practice until you never flash or drop anything, but as Michael Ammar says "Gravity happens". It certainly happens to me a lot

yeh - it's never good to have a trick that only works some of the time...keep practising, becasue I'm sure it can be done...

but also try some other things - maybe you'll find a new method, you prefer better, or even a new effect - experiment.