Cup Through Table

Effect: A cup or glass vanishes when wrapped in a sheet of paper.

Secret: A piece of paper wrapped around the cup or glass will retain the shape of the cup – even after the
magician has secretly dropped the cup into his lap.

Props: A cup or glass, any small object and a sheet of newspaper or tissue paper.

Preparation: Select a piece of newspaper slightly larger than the cup so that it will cover it completely with
some overlap.

Presentation: Place the cup over any small object and wrap the paper around it. Ask the audience what is
under the cup. Everyone will, of course, suspect that you are about to vanish the object. Lift the paper and
cup to reassure everyone that the object is still on the table. Moving the wrapped cup slightly towards you,
just clear of the table relax your hold so that the cup is allowed to quietly drop into your lap, out of sight of
the audience, of course, whose attention is still focused on the object.The paper will retain the shape of the
cup. When you again place the paper over the object, you must maintain the illusion that you are replacing
both paper and cup. Wave your hand mysteriously over the "cup" and claim that you will make the object
vanish. When you lift the "cup" the object is still there. Remove the object but replace the "cup". Tell the
audience that something must have gone wrong and you are unable to vanish the object, so you have decided
to vanish the cup instead! At that moment dramatically smash your hand down onto the paper which will
flatten, giving the appearance that the "cup" has penetrated the table. Bring the cup from under the table
(removing it from your lap, in one smooth movement) and replace it on the table.

Mystic Ash

The magician shows you a pack of cards and places it under a large handkerchief. With the cards now covered he asks you to make a cut in the deck. You keep hold of the cut through the handkerchief and the remaining cards are brought back out. You are then shown the top card which you cut to. The deck is put back together and you are handed a small piece of paper and a pen. You are asked to draw a picture of your card on the paper and fold it up as small as you can. This is then held over an empty ash tray and set on fire! The magician sprinkles the ashes on to his forearm and rubs them in with his hand. The card you selected is revealed in ash on the magicians arm! David Blaine has a variation of this trick, I have to say it’s been around a lot longer than he has but nether the less is a great trick!

The deck turned
around under the
handkerchief,
showing the bottom
card and the ash
on the arm at the
end of the trick.

The two secrets to this trick are as follows. The trick is known as a force, the volunteer is forced to select a card even though they think they have a choice. When the deck is put under the handkerchief turn the deck upside down, then after the cut turn it back again so the volunteer is forced to take the original top card. The forced card is drawn on your arm with wet soap prior to doing the trick. When the ash is rubbed into your arm it will stick on the soap even when it’s dry.