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Details

Cyclops

Bob Farmer

(Based on 1 review)
From Lybrary.com:
One-Ball cups and balls routine

One large ball and three cups are examined by the spectators. The magician's hands are empty - so are his pockets.

  • Covered by a cup, the ball vanishes

  • It jumps from cup to cup

  • It penetrates the bottom of a cup

  • It jumps from pocket to cup

  • It appears under any cup the spectator picks

  • It multiplies to three balls, one under each cup


    • Features



      • No special equipment required

      • Performable under almost any conditions: close-up, standing, sitting, kneeling - even begging

      • 5 second reset

      • Do it in your (or someone else's) underwear

      • Short, easy-to-follow, spectator-friendly routine

      • Simple sleights

      • No lapping

      • Can be seen by a large audience but is still deceptive for a small one

      • All the classic elements of a cups and balls routine without the fat

      • 32 illustrations make it effortless to learn



      Format: Spiralbound
      Publication Summary: 1998, 11 pp

Reviews

Thomas Sciacca

Jul 23, 2010

I'm in the process of mastering this unique cups and balls routine, and so I cannot include audience response in this review. I've spent enough time with 'Cyclops' to at least share
some insights into the routine, the manuscript itself, as well as additional ideas included by Mr. Farmer.

Price:$10- A steal, straight from the guy who wrote "beat em, cheat em, leave em bleedin''. This is not only well written, illustrated, and printed-there are some priceless moves in here, that didn't have to be, but are. They can be worked into the Cyclops routine, but have other applications as well-or, Farmer found these moves, and offered them as optional enhancements.

Manuscript: Cyclops is described here 4 times, in 4 different ways. Text, step by step CLEAR diagrams with verbal descriptions, a bare bones version on the backpanel, with an even tighter encapsulation connected to it. The illustrations are simple flat graphics, and echo the black and white clarity that seems characteristic of everything Farmer puts out. Clear, thorough, so you can't miss.

Routine: Cyclops uses large balls, which makes it so impactive. I'm surprised he didn't suggest using balls painted as eyes, which is an option. Final load for this routine is optional, and Farmer uses small balls for the load-a surprising scale inversion. There are three moves/sleights to this routine, which are simple-but worth practicing in front of a mirror. There is also a move in this routine, which I won't expose here-but it is so sneaky, natural, that I'm still smiling about it. Farmer footnotes Bruce Elliot circa 1953, and John Scarne, who also used it. It's the method that Scarne used to produce two baseballs while wearing a shortsleeve shirt. Once known, this method has other applications, to non-cup and ball effects. Again, this book is a steal at ten dollars!
Patter for the routine is comical, the performer repeatedly screwing up the magic words, which lead to surprising results. At some point even the spectator can get it right, which leads to a final surprise.

Extras: Farmer winds up the manuscript with additional ideas to use with Cyclops: an egg bag, sponge balls, thumbtip,...and an Eddie Fields vanishing technique that is simply ingenious.

Final thoughts: Excellent manuscript, high impact, humorous routine, plus additional principals that can applied to magic beyond this routine. This is DEFINITELY worth having, in my opinion.



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