Hi folks,

I do a sponge bunny routine using a purse frame, with kids the response is awesome...with adults its more "kids stuff". Does anyone else find that sponge products (barring the rude ones) only really play to kids? My target audience by and large is adults.

any thoughts much appreciated.


Danny

Wayne Dobson used to do a sponge ball routine, watch his royal command performance, he used Harry Carpenter and Frank Bruno. Two huge celebrities of the era and it was very well received.

I seem to find that women in particular like the sponge bunnies much more than men but if a guy is with a woman when you show it to her he will usually warms up to it with no problem. Check out the thread on here about sponge ball ladybugs for a new twist on a similar routine.

Heba Haba did bunnies in the bar without kids allowed in an killed it.

I use them with adults all the time. Sponge ball routines are personal and the magic is strong. Why not use them with adults?

I use sponge bunnies for adults all the time and it kills. Part of it is I don't use a presentation that insults their intelligence. As a matter of fact, my kids performance is identical, it goes over well because I use a lot of asides for the adults in the audience and I'm self-depreciating in my presentation. It goes over so well, I've had people ask for it by name almost a year later.

The trick is fine. It all depends on your attitude and your confidence.
Treat it like a kids trick when you do it for adults with no change in attitude and you'll look like a doofus and they will feel you're insulting their intelligence.

Thanks guys that was really helpful.

Best wishes,

Danny

JC's Wagner did it almost every set. He actually mentioned it's the best bar trick of all time.

Check out the post below "Lady bugs guaranteed to please" below. Works great for kids or adults (again, mostly females)

Jim

Matt and Frank are right. I swear I've been using sponge balls with adults for years. Just as much fun as it is with kids. I always use a dude for the sponge ball climax. I pick a guy who is enjoying the show but sort of quiet. When they explode out of his hand and he smirks or busts out laughing, it's so fun to see.

I use my sponge ball routine, based on the Ken Brooke routine. It is on my IN the TRENCHES DVD. I just finished a few performance days at the Magic Castle and it certainly played very well for the adult audiences.

Respectfully,

Paul Green

I do agree that sponge balls work great for adults, on stage as well as in close-up. I used different presentations for that trick, it's just about finding the right way.

I found an approach that works best for me. I usually do sponge balls after smth super strong, like some killer mentalism or card routine. I say "So now, for you to relax, I'll show you smth funny. A lot of people think that magic is for kids. Ok, I'm gonna show you a kids trick now, but believe me, you will be impressed". From that moment people do not treat this trick too seriously. They see a sponge ball, they may understand that it is smth to do with kids show, but I have told them that already! So they relax and wait for smth simple, but then they see (and feel) all these strong magical moments and get totally amazed.

Sometimes I add some quite absurdic lines (which still get great reactions), like explaining them how quantum physics work on the example of sponge balls, which represent particles (and here we have teleportation, moving with the speed of light etc).

I also find it great to combine sponge balls with my Iphone, like getting a sponge right from the screen and putting it back. It is a killer for adults and for kids, of course.

I use the 3d bunnies all of the time for adults. It's one of the strongest tricks possible.

I also agree that they both work great. I like Alex's presentation and sometimes use that angle myself to put people at ease and then blow their minds with "kids magic." I also will just go into the routines like any other and get great results from that method of presenting them.

Just be confident and professional, friendly and have fun. That will go a long way to making any routine a success.

Thanks Guys,

I will revisit my presentation....and check out my copy of Mr Green's "In the trenches" DVD.

Best wishes,

Danny

After 20 years I threw out my sponge ball routine for multiplying rabbits.. catharsis came from Bob Sheets and his hospitality series dvd.. I have an adult patter and a kids patter and it hits a home run every single time.. the animal beats the inanimate object. I did it today at a nursing home and it really really played. as it does everywhere.


Marty
sponge converted

I've never had any problem doing sponge balls with adults. I use a finalé that doesn't burn them, i.e. not the old one ball her and one ball here, now they're gone. It takes the sting out of the ending.

Daryl's "Papa Rabbit Hits The Big Time" can be done with a mildly adultish theme. That routine is included on the DVD that comes with it. Great version of sponge bunnies that can also be cleaned up for kids.

I am now after sponge chickens though the only person I have found who does them is Eddie Ace....waiting for him to get back to me