BEHIND THE CUE BALL........A Routine for the Multiplying Billiard Balls Phase #1 The production sequence.

What follows(over three posts) is my routine for this classic effect of magic. In designing this routine I wanted the entire thing to work out of the pockets. I also wanted it to have little misdirectorial 'Stings' the whole way through and finally investigate exactly what 'new' or 'forgotten' use could be made from the shell. Possibilities with that most intriguing of magic gimmicks that may not have been noticed in this effect before. The routine uses three identical balls and two identical shells that match. You will find (for two reasons) that one and three quater inch balls are better for this particular routine. Firstly this routine was written for a walk around situation, one in which the performer is working entirely from the pockets. With smaller sized balls there is still a fair bit of space left in the pockets to accomadate some other small props. In my case the props required for my ring on rope routine. The second benefit of a smaller set of balls is that right at the top of the routine one will be holding out two balls in the right hand. One in a classic palm and one in finger palm. These balls are not so much palmed but secreted for the first few seconds of the routine and the smaller they are the less likely they are to be seen. I designed this feature so that the hands would not have to go into the pockets at all during the productions.

THE ROUTINE. part one.

Start with a shelled ball in the left jacket pocket. In the right jacket pocket you have the other two balls and the second shell. If this shell is sitting over a ball you will need to pull it off and leave it in the pocket in a moment. You can do this at the top of the routine or before you approach the table or group.

As a first movement you are going to reach inside your pockets like you are hunting for something

" I'm going to show you something really scary with a little rubber ball...ahh here it is"

By this point you have taken the shelled ball from the left pocket and are holding it at the finger tips of the left hand. You have also taken BOTH the real balls out of the right pocket (leaving the second shell where it is for the time being) and have secreted them in the right hand. One is in a classic palm and the other a finger palm. The specifications for this are not that strict though. All that matters is that these balls cannot be seen and that your hand is looking reasonably natural. It should be held down by your right side for a moment.

Using just the left hand manufacture the shelled ball into the classic un-nesting position. This means you hold to place the ball and gimmick in between the thumb and fore finger.

The idea at the top of this routine is to do a 'no messing about 1 - 4 production.' In fact the whole routine is no messing bout. No flourishes, few vanishes until the end and certainly no colour changes. So, that said we don't need to waste any time at the top. let's just produce these balls as quickly and as magically as we can. Here's how.

The second ball is produced by simply un-nesting the shell in the standard fashion. The right hand reaches up to the ball and shell( remember that this hand actually contains the two secret balls) and switches one of the secret balls for the one just recently produced. It is the ball held in the finger palm that replaces the ball between the fore and index finger of the left hand and the switch is accomplished by simply moving the second ball BACK into the shell and PLACING the right hand finger palmed ball in between the fingers of the left hand. This is done as you apparently GRAB the ball and toss it up with the right hand. In reality the second ball is shelled again and the finger palmed ball just pushed out to the right hand finger tips. the new third ball is then placed back in between the fore and index finger of the left hand. The situation now is that you have a shelled ball plus a second ball at the fingers of the left hand and a fourth ball concealed in a classic palm in the right hand. The second shell is still within the right pocket.

You now produce the third ball by executing a two ball roll down the shell is once again un-nested and the second ball rolls into the third postion creating a space for the third production. Three balls are now at the left fingertips.

You will now set up for the production of the fourth and final ball. The start of this preperation is a standard shell loading sequence. So, the right hand with classic palmed ball, reaches up to the left fingers. The right hand's ball is secretly nested into the shell from behind as the right fingers grab the top ball. because of the roll down there is a very strong illusion of perception that the ball that just appeared is actually the ball in the top. The ball in other words which you have now taken in yoru right hand. At this point I should point out that the sequence thus far has taken place at the side of the body like in most Stage Billiard Ball routines. There have been a number of performers in the past including the Aussie magic icon Barry Govan who have creted whole routies that happen IN FRONT of the body and in so doing have closed the effect off from having angle problems. My routine does not worry too much about angles. You just have to either do it with your back against a wall, at the end of a banquet table or without giving a shit what the people behind see. This last one is me. i have always looked upon magic a little less seriously than brain surgery and inmy opinion if a person behind sees half a ball they kind of like it. If anything it is a little bit like they are being allowed to come back stage and see how it all works. The stakes are relatively low here. Unless there is a REAL smart arse behind you who is likely to shout something out to the people you are performing too I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure that you don't show the trick to those people next. My personality is such that people very rarely gang up on me. I very rarely get hecklers from 18th Birthday parties through to coporate events. Anyway I am waffleing.

So, you have been performing this routine in the air at the side of the body until now when you are going to turn to the front. As your body turns the left hand moves to the front of it and un-nests the ball from the shell in the action of another two ball roll down. (This lovely production hidden within the veil of misdirection has spared you having to do a three ball roll down..you can thank me later) At the very same moment this happens the right hand tosses the single ball in the air and catches it. everyone will watch this ball. they will miss the un-nest. In any event the larger body turn will hide the smaller action and so in theory the move would be invisible anyway but with the gentle tossing and catching we can be safer.

"OK a trick with three balls"

After you say this your eyes look down in front of your body at the balls in the left hand and notice that there are actually four balls in total.

"Sorry, four balls..oh well I guess magic is like that sometimes"

The right hand's ball is now placed into between the ring finger and pinky to complete the first phase. A quick, no messiing about production of three balls.