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Three small sponge balls appear and disappear in the magician's hands. The
spectators are amused by their inability to believe what they're seeing. Even
though they think they know where the sponge balls are, the magician shows
them that they haven't really been paying attention.
Just when the spectators finally think they've caught on, they are startled to see
the magician slowly open his hand to show that the small balls have magically
change to one giant sponge question mark.
The Easy Sponge Ball Act has much the same surprise and mystery as The Cups
and Balls, however the effect can be performed anywhere under almost any
conditions.
Four small sponge balls. One sponge cut into the shape of a question mark.
Alternately, a large sponge ball can be used instead of the question mark
sponge. Place the sponge balls and question mark in your right jacket pocket.
Once the sponge ball is held by the third and The hand goes into the pocket and
fourth fingers, use the thumb, first and second takes hold of one ball, concealing it
Magic Show Page 2 of 6
fingers to gather up the other three small behind the curled third and fourth
fingers.
sponge balls.
With the back of the right hand toward the The ball is held at the tips of the
spectators, pick up the second ball with the thumb and first finger.
thumb and first finger.
Phase 3
Without drawing attention to it, this quick The two pressed together balls go into
display of the inside of the right hand tells the the left hand, the back of the right
hand blocking the spectators' view.
spectators your hand is empty except for the
one ball held by the thumb and first finger.
Phase 4
the table.
Phase 5
Bring the hand out of the pocket. Let the right hand hang at the side in a
relaxed manner, the right fingers curled around the large ball.
At the same time you're loading the question mark into your right hand, move
your left arm toward the spectators and ask them how many balls are in the
hand.
No matter what the answer, say, "That's right, you're catching on, there are two
balls in my hand." Open the left hand to display the two balls as you say this.
Phase 6
Say, "I'm going to make this really easy to follow by only putting one of the
balls in my left hand this time." As you are saying this, reach for one of the balls
on the table with the right hand, back of the right hand toward the spectators.
As the right hand reaches the balls on the table, two things happen at once.
The left hand rises and opens out to receive the ball.
The right hand picks up one ball between the thumb and first finger. The ball of
the thumb should be on one side of the ball, the ball of the first finger on the
other side of the ball.
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The right hand moves toward the left, at the same time rotating at the wrist to
that the back of the right hand is toward the spectators.
The right index finger curls in toward the right thumb as the right hand is
moving toward the left. This allows the right thumb to press down on the ball
and slide it so that it rests against the right first and second fingers between the
second and third joints of the fingers. The right first and second fingers curl in
slightly to hold the ball. This is the same hold as has been used previously by
the right third and fourth fingers to hold the ball concealed.
As the little finger edge of the right hand comes to rest on the left palm, curl the
left fingers up slightly. The right hand releases its hold on the question mark
and raises slightly on the little finger side so the left finger tips can curl under
the right hand onto the question mark and compress it into the left hand. The
left fingers literally drag across the right palm so that the left palm is never
visible to the spectators as the question mark is compressed into the closed left
hand.
Keep all the fingers of the right hand curled in slightly to match the way the first
and second fingers have to curl in to hold the small ball concealed.
With the back of the right hand up and the knuckles of the right hand pointing
at the spectators, swing the right hand toward the ball on the table, pick up the
ball with the tip of the right thumb and first finger, pull the ball into the hand as
you close the right fingers even tighter and move the right hand toward the
right jacket pocket. Put the right hand into the jacket pocket and leave the two
balls there.
Say, "Now. How many balls do I have in my left hand?" As you say this, bring
the right hand out of the jacket pocket and gesture toward the left hand.
No matter what the spectators are about to say, or do say, you remark, "That's
right! You're absolutely correct. I only have only one in my left hand."
As you are saying "only one in my left hand," open the left hand slowly, raising
the fingers so that the question mark seems to spring out of the left palm. Once
the left fingers are opened to reveal the question mark, pause completely, not
moving your body or the left hand to increase the focus on it.
Performance Notes
Practice the sequence of moves several times each day for a week. You should
be able to move through the routine without having to stop to think where you
are. Only when the moves and the routine sequence become second nature
should you begin performing the routine in public.
It is important that you do not rush the moves. The audience is not aware of a
fourth ball, so they will not suspect you have it hidden in your hand. Move
through the routine at a steady pace, making sure that each appearance,
transposition and vanish registers with those watching by pausing for a beat or
two after the left hand is opened to reveal its contents.
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The concealment of the balls in the right hand is not really a sleight and should
not be treated as such. Just hold the balls in place with the appropriate fingers
as described. Keep the hand relaxed, the fingers curled slightly. Don't think
about the right hand and what it is doing.
The appearance of the question mark in the left hand removes the focus from
the right hand and from the pocket. Use this to your advantage. After the
performance do not immediately put the question mark back in the right jacket
pocket. Leave it on the table.