Sponge Balls Through The Hat

For those who wondered why I don't up date that much...the simple answer: I'm working, busking mostly.

I got this new costume and since then everything works like butter. Part of my costume is a top hat. And playing around with my sponge ball routine I actually made up a simple trick, that is easy to do and very deceptive.

Here is what you do: Reach into your pocket and get out three sponge balls. One is palmed only two can be seen. With you other hand you take off the top hat and then you drop the two sponge balls in the hat. Holding the hand by the brim with the hand that is palming the third sponge ball you approach a spectator, asking him/her to take out the two balls to check them out. Still holding the hat by the brim you lift the hat above the eye line of the spectators. Doing that you also release the third ball into the hat. Ask your participant to hold on to the hat, holding it up all the time, so the top of the hat (because the hat is upside down of course) is visible to everyone. You take the two sponge balls. And apparently place them into your other hand. Of course you hold one back. The hand supposedly holding the two sponge balls is moved to the underside of the hat and the hand is slowly opened while you do a rubbing motion. It has to look like a ball penetrates the bottom/actual top of the hat.

Have the spectator, which is holding on to the hat, look inside the hat to verify that the sponge ball really has arrived on the inside. You take out the sponge ball with the hand that is palming the one sponge ball to show the rest that the ball is inside. You then proceed to drop the ball back into the hat, but you secretly drop the palmed ball. The rest should be clear...

I can tell you four things. First: Not a card trick... Second: Can be seen by everyone, Third: Involves spectators, Fourth: Looks interesting, thereby helps creating and holding the crowd. It is such a nice interlude.

There will be no failure this week. I got too much to do.