Ahhh, sorry about that mix up. I knew there was a P&T shirt in there somewhere. Dude, BB was extremely funny. It's great when I see kids that are outgoing and funny like that, you can pretty much pick up instantly on what type of people the parent's are by the way their kids behave.

We may have to go to the east coast so we're not going to be at the Days of Magic, but next time you're coming into town drop me a line and we'll grill out.

Thanks again to you three for making that day fun.

And Mr. Palmer's completely right, your normal people on the street may have seen magic, but most of them think of Las Vegas or America's Got Talent, not guys on the street doing ropes and linking rings. I thought Gazzo was just taking the **** when he talks in one of his lecture dvds about mentioning that it isn't the three shell game, but like a lot of other things, he's completely right. I even use Harie's Bosco cups, and people still think I'm doing the three shell game. You don't even want to know about the three card monte questions. (In their defense, last year a monte crew worked the International District quite successfully.)

The cups and balls routine is the one effect in magic that really makes me feel like a magician. I present a Jamaican Cups and Balls routine where I've actually written the lyrics to a song. I put on a Jamaican wig. I use a beach towel instead of a close up mat. And everything is contained in a Jamaican style beach bag. So, here's a Chinese Canadian magician, dressed in ragsta garb and singing a song with a heavy Jamaican accent - all the while performing the cups and balls.

I use the routine as an opener for my banquet shows. The routine serves many purposes:

1. It establishes my performing character,
2. It demonstrates my ability and establishes credibility,
3. It gives permission for the audience to laugh,
4. It trains the audience to applaud at the appropriate times, and
5. It entertains the daylights out of them.

For me, any trick that can do all this is a GREAT effect with which to start a show.

Kent

You said

"In any case, it's not the same trick. It's just the same vanish."

That's what I mean, the same vanish being repeated. There should be some little variation, no? I'm glad you found an example. I'll look for Alex de Cova.

By "the wizard struggling" I only mean that it's nice to have some conflict or other small plot element in the routine, e.g. Tommy Wonder. Otherwise you just have the same ritual of moving the props around, again and again.

This was the original problem of the thread. Why do this? For you it might be to demonstrate your mastery which you do with aplomb. For Ricky Jay and many others it is to tell a story. In each case it is important to get the people involved so they will pay attention. Yes, to be a success, Yes for money. That's inspiration for you.

Hi Plungerman,

I'm not certain I "get" your posts. If you have a sequence of moves you think is good, do you include them in your routine? I suspect that you do not perform the cups and balls, at all. If this is true, it doesn't mean I don't want to hear your opinion on this trick.

You speak of suprise being a primary theme. I think a magic show with no suprises would truly be pathetic. I tend to agree with you on that central idea. For cups and balls routines, in the twentieth century and beyond. I think almost all magicians who do a cup(s) and ball routine center their entire routine on the final load sequence.

I'd like to see your routine, if you have one. You certainly have strong opinions. I hope your magic is just as strong.

As for the logical question: ok Kent, you jerk, do you do anything original with the cups and balls. My answer is no, not really, but a quick search on this board will lead you to some video of me doing the trick.