Single Cup Magic Routine

Why in the name of magic did you start off the effect calling the cup a “chop cup”? Why even bring up the cup? It’s going to have enough heat on it already without adding suspicion by calling it by a name that the spectators have never heard.

Hint to all magicians: When you are using a gimmick – do not call the gimmick by name. This only works for me

(example: In my show, I say “you may think that the dollar vanishes into thin air. It actually vanishes into my thumb tip” – It’s a joke for magicians that is completely lost on the spectators. I digress. And I lied. I don’t really say that. Although, it’s funny so I may start doing so.)

Anyway, don’t name the gimmick.

Your movements look unrealistic and suspicious when you “dump” the ball into your hands. It needs to be done more casually. Remember, if you believe it, they will.

Your “ball penetration” at :49 seconds is not helping the effect. It looks clumsy and heavy. There is a point at :54 seconds that I see both balls. And I don’t think it’s just because of the video. I think that your high ball bounced out of the cup.

I see a lot of unnatural movements – when you take the ball away before the final production, you leave your hand in your lap when you say the words ‘put the ball away and it comes back’  This looks very scripted and odd. I’d find a better way to get a hold of the final load, if I were you.

Another mistake that I’ve been seeing in a lot of videos lately is the nonsensical use of the wand. Either you need it to do the magic, or you don’t.

The first two times magic happens, you wave the wand. The third and fourth time (cup penetration) you tell me that the wand was all B.S., and that it works because of a trap door in the cup. Then seconds later, you use the wand again. Then you tell me the secret is that you’re using two balls. You proceed to reveal the billiard ball without using the wand. It’s all just confusing, really.

Other than those five things and your apparent uncertainty about what comes next, this was okay. I guess.

Rating: One Milk and a swirl of confusion.

(Ratings are completely arbitrary, depending on how recently I’ve used my wand properly.)