Sponged Out

By Richard Robinson The magician holds a large red sponge ball between his right first and second fingers. He places the ball on the palm of his open left hand which closes around it. On opening the hand, the sponge ball has vanished. Sponged Out is a convincing vanish which creates a rather unique persistence of vision effect since it is the fingers holding the ball that are persistent rather than the ball itself. It can be worked with any sponge ball, even a larger 2 inch / 50 mm ball. Handling

The right hand, palm forward, displays the ball between the first and second fingers. The ball is placed on the open left palm. The left fingers curl up to close around the ball. The right first finger raised and the left fingers opened out to show the position of the right thumb between the right first and second fingers. The right thumb presses down on the ball and drags it back to the left wrist. The hands' position to the left of the body as the right thumb drags the ball back. Note position of the third and fourth right fingers. The tips of the third and fourth right fingers grip the ball and swing into the right palm as the right thumb moves away. Front view with the right first and second fingers still trapped under the left fingers. The left hand remains stationary as the right fingers are pulled out from under the left fingers. The right hand moves back, the left hand moves up. The right second finger curls in so only the right first finger points towards the left hand. The left hand is opened to show the ball has vanished. The position of the ball concealed in the right hand.

Presentation Facing the spectators, display the ball by holding it between the first and second fingers of the right hand. The hand is held up at shoulder height and turned back and front to display the ball. The left hand opens and turns palm up at just above waist height. The right hand is palm towards the spectators. The right hand moves down towards the left palm, the right third and fourth fingers curl up slightly towards the right palm as the ball is placed on the left palm just at the base of the left fingers. The left fingers curl up to close over the ball, pausing as they come into contact with the right first and second fingers. As soon as the ball is masked by the left fingers, the right thumb moves down between the right first and second fingers until the right thumb tip touches the left palm. This causes the top side of the right thumb to press down on the ball. The left and right hands swing to the left, the body turning to follow the hands. The left arm is raised and the left hand revolves to the left until the partially closed left hand is positioned with the thumb up with the left fingers towards the spectators. The arms are now extended out to the left. As this shift in position is carried out, the right thumb presses on the ball and slides it back across the left palm to the left wrist. The right third and fourth fingers swing up and the ball is pinched between the third and fourth finger tips which swing back into the right hand. The back of the right hand is towards the spectators by this time, the right first and second fingers trapped by the closing left fingers. The movement of the arms stops. The right hand pulls back to the right, pulling the spread apart first and second fingers out of the left hand. The left fingers finish closing over the left palm and apparently over the ball. Continuing to look at the closed left hand, shift the body to the right so it is closer to facing the spectators. Move the right arm at the elbow to the right. As the right hand travels right the right second finger curls into the hand, leaving only the right first finger pointing at the left hand. The right hand gestures at the left hand which opens slowly to show the ball has vanished. Performance Notes Sponged Out works equally well as a close up or platform manipulation. The timing of the coordinated movements has to be practiced until it appears that the ball is placed by the two fingers into the other hand which closed around it as the fingers are extracted. With a good deal of practice and a fairly stiff coat sleeve it is possible to use the thumb sliding action to slide the ball across the left hand and into the coat sleeve for a both hands empty vanish.