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Michael Jay
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Toledo, Ohio
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The first review is from Jon A. Hand:

Review by Jon A. Hand

This Vol 2, Issue 10 edition of Top Hat has 84 pages! This has to be a record! These 84 pages must possess quality, rather than quantity, however, so let’s have a look…

The linked Table of Contents is very handy! Not only is it the issue-at-a-glance, each title links instantly to its associated article when clicked. Great idea!

Michael Jay’s Letter from the Editor sets up the issue nicely, including the Top Hat philosophy, as well as quick introductions to each article in the magazine.

The Letters to the Editor are a welcome feedback from readers; it is good to know that the magazine is developing an audience, and that the audience cares enough to respond. It is so easy to equate “Free” with “Worthless” in a society that seems to value money over everything else, so it is reassuring to know that the free acquisition of Top Hat is worth something to those who chose to respond to what they read.

Mark Williams’ Fallen Heroes is a quick overview of many of the “giants upon whose shoulders we stand” from past eras. Well-written quick sketches of key magical figures help us remember the past which formed us. Michael Jay’s photo additions (my assumption, here) add much to the article. Undoubtedly, the most difficult part of the article for Mark was deciding when to stop, and whom to include or exclude! Three names that come to my mind immediately who deserved inclusion are Theo Annemann, Al Baker, and Harlan Tarbell, but again, where does one stop?

Michael Jay’s Did You Know fillers, sprinkled around the magazine as needed, are a welcome addition to Top Hat in recent issues! Such items help us plug holes in our background knowledge, and they do so without being banal or condescending. Good work, Michael!

Barry Cooper’s Variations on the Handkerchief Force is a good round-up of easy card forces. Some of them are needlessly complicated, IMHO, but the point is choosing one and getting completely comfortable with it ahead of its actual use. In a performance, it is important to justify the use of the handkerchief to the spectator by stressing how fairly he/she can choose a card without any influence from the magician(!).

Dave Wyton’s Improper Procedure was a well-received article, for me, at least. The average person has little-to-no gambling experience, and knows nothing of “proper procedure.” It is precisely because most people have no gambling experience that magic-style routines of gambling cons or supposed gambling methods have interest for spectators. Since magic is all about amazing entertainment, anything that intrigues your audiences is golden! “Real world” procedure is irrelevant, as nothing about magic is “real world” anyway! A well-told story wrapped around a gambling theme will give the demonstration/magic a much-needed theme in one section of a show, rather than “I do this just because I can, and because it is impossible.”

Gary Scott’s Chavracabra: The Decline of the Magician, Part Two, makes some fine points. The best magicians of yesteryear were generally “larger than life,” in that they dressed a cut above their intended audiences, treated people with manners and civility, and knew when (or when not) to “magish.” Today’s hiphop world has infected magic with a “see how smart and cool I am; see how dumb you are,” attitude that is further sinking the image of magic in the public eye. Gary’s suggestions for improving one’s magic are crucial, and I hope young magicians will take them to heart. I look forward to his further suggestions in part three.

Denny Haney’s Stop Drinking the Magic Kool-Aid is worth reading more than once, and it is a great follow-up to Gary Scott’s article. Denny’s magic shop aspires to make real magicians to carry on the legacy, and if that means that Denny bypasses the quick money of download sales and rip-off copies of effects, then the developing magicians who frequent his shop will find a pro magician who cares about teaching the right way. Again, I encourage everyone to give this a second, slower, more thoughtful reading.

This Hand guy’s Darren Romeo – A Review failed to mention that Darren Romeo closed his show with the only authorized performance of Blackstone’s Floating Light Bulb. It was a breath-taking moment, not only when it glowed and floated around the magician, but also when he offered to float it out over the audience! It zipped out some 25 feet into the crowd, about 2’-3’ overhead, and returned to him after a few seconds. Blackstone (and Blackstone Jr.) would be proud; it was a marvelous and personal climax to a two-hour show. Again, Michael Jay’s added photos spiced up the text of the review.

Craig Chadwick’s Royal Revelation is a gem of a close-up trick, using a special card for a kicker ending to a card transposition in the spectator’s hand. The card is available online, custom-made by Craig at a very reasonable price, but the magazine includes a limited time offer than is very generous and much appreciated.

Michael Jay’s The Magician, the first chapter of a serialized novel, grabs one right away. Michael’s imagery is a strong suit in his writing; the dog, the bloody body, and the horrified reaction of the magician were clearly defined in the mind’s eye. I look forward to the next chapter in the serial.
**
The mood of Michael’s first chapter set up the Bizarre Magic section of the Top Hat issue superbly, just as Denny Haney’s article followed up Gary Scott’s so aptly. Such planning is solely the role of the editor, and Michael nailed it, not once, but twice in this issue. I suspect that he had a difficult time deciding whether or not to put Gary’s essay after Mark’s!

Bizarre Bursary has quickly become a magazine-within-a-magazine. Gene Poinc would be tickled (or amusedly agasp? Or aghast?) that this aspect of magic is developing such a following. The information taught here is more than half of the Top Hat issue this month, and one must decide if this particular brand of magic is suitable for his/her performance character. If one does light, happy, frilly magic, then bizarre might be totally out-of-place. Then again, one such effect, placed carefully in a planned routine, might just be the thing for contrast (much as a gambling routine would be interesting contrast for the remainder of a close-up magic show).

The subtle change from white backgrounds prior in the issue to creamy ones in this bizarre section adds mood and a sense of “old and yellowed” to the Bursary. BTW, a bursary is the treasures of a monastery. In addition to the fine use of alliteration, Michael Jay has chosen a word that implies both the worth of the material and the eerie implied “spiritualism” of the effects. While these effects are not material that I could do, given the kind of “day job” that I have, I can appreciate the efforts to make enthralling presentations that lift the magic into something different and special. If, as Gary Scott said in his article, a magician is an actor playing the role of a magician, then the Bizarre Magician is an expert story-teller playing the role of a magician. As Stefan Alexxis shows in the final article in the magazine (see below), bizarre magic is crafting an emotional response to one’s magic, rather than an intellectual one.

Weepin’ Willie’s wonderful we-dress (oops… redress) of the equivoque process in A Sure Thing is a fine simple introduction to changing a magical idea into a bizarre effect. The long story which proceeds it is a fun read, even if you don’t include it all in your routine. The routine itself is a snap, so your dressing up of the props as shown in the photos, and your ability to weave an emotional storytelling spell, are everything.

My First Dollar by the Very Reverend S. Ulysses Wainwright (don’t you just love these in-character pen names?) is a powerful short story about choices and youth. It is very entertaining, and well-worth your time to read it.

Visionary Reflections from the Secret Laboratory of the Nyama Possessor also has a long opening story that sets the mood. On page 55, look for a hidden reference to Gene Poinc and use that discovery to find more hidden references; fun! The second section, Aims, Objectives, and Purpose implies a forthcoming series of columns under the VRSLNP name. The next section, The Village Bonefire, is a quick history of flash paper, an overview of other flash materials, and a number of suggested effects to flesh out with your own bizarre stories. This is a long, slow read, but worth the effort for getting one’s creative juices flowing. The final section is a very handy collection of links and print references to learn more about bizarre magic and/or make your own.

Finally, Stefan Alexxis’ Anatomy of a Bizarre Magic Story sets up the reader for creating his own bizarre effects. Solid advice in devising an effect is given here, and the potential bizarrist will skip this article at his/her own peril. Not to be missed are the distinctions between Theatrical, Anecdotal, Demonstrative, and Evidential approaches to crafting a bizarre effect, and the importance of carefully sticking to a particular approach if the magic moment is to be effective, both at the time, and in spectator retrospect. The closing analysis of an original (copyrighted) effect by Stefan effectively teaches the concepts outlined previously. This whole article is a solid introduction to bizarre magic for the average magician, and it ought to be required reading.

The credits page and parting shot indicate just how seriously the authors, editor, proofreaders, and tech advisors took their unpaid labor-of-love. Top Hat is on its way to being the PDF equivalent of JINX, PHOENIX, and other magic periodicals. If contributors can sustain the quality of writing that appears here, free of charge, for the long haul, this publication will one day attain the same respect as the aforementioned periodicals. “Free” definitely does NOT mean “Worthless.”

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

The second review is from Gary Scott:

Review by Gary Scott

Name: Top Hat Vol 2 : Issue 10

Author: Regular contributors and others submit articles for publication.

Price: FREE!

Publisher: At this current time, Michael Jay is the editor/distributor

Date: Published 15th July 2015

Pages/Length: 83 Pages

Difficulty: N/A

Out of 10: 9

Contents

A Letter from the Editor by Michael Jay
Letters to the Editor: Readers Write
Fallen Heroes by Mark Williams
Handkerchief Force Variations by Barry Cooper
Improper Procedure by Dave Wyton.
Chavracadabra: The Decline of the Magician by Gary Scott....
Stop Drinking the Magic Kool Aide by Denny Haney
Darren Romeo - A Review by Jon A. Hand
Royal Revelation by Craig Chadwick
The Magician - A Novel by Michael Jay

Bizarre Bursary
A Sure Thing by Weepin' Willie
My First Dollar by The Very Reverend S Ulysses Wainwright
Visionary Reflections from the
Secret Laboratory of the Nyama Possessor
Anatomy of a Bizarre Magic Story by Stefan Alexxis


Comments

So here is my continuing review of Top Hat. Issue 10 hits the stand (or downloadable in this day and age) in a couple of days and is the largest issue to date. And...my oh my...what an issue. Unknown to me at the moment is whether or not the Bizarre Bursary will remain as a dedicated section, but it's a welcome addition due to the size of this particular publication. New to Top Hat is the letters to the editor and its nice to read other people's comments and makes you feel not alone in all things Top Hat.

Mark Williams opens up with an essay on some of the past greats of magic and then we follow that up with Barry Cooper giving us a complete breakdown on the under-the handkerchief card force. Dave Wyton then discusses if we as magicians should use gambling routines. Then my own article comes into play so I can't really give that an unbiased review but following me is Denny Haney with an article, similar in nature to my own three part essay that challenges the idea of the modern magic scene. Jon A. Hand then reviews a modern magic show by Darren Romero with a surprising conclusion. Craig Chadwick offers his own trick known as the 'Royal Revelation' and for a limited time you can get the gimmicks for FREE. Michael Jay then begins his journey writing a novel specifically for Top Hat, simply titled 'The Magician'.

Then we get into the Bizarre Bursary.

Regular bizarre contributor Weepin' Willie gives us a living and dead test that is macabre to say the least. Reverend S Ulysses Wainwright follows Weepin' Willie and offers us a tale from childhood that tells of a curse and a coin.
Then we have a an overview of Bizarre Magick and a discussion on flashpaper and its use in the Bizarre world by the mysterious Nyama Possessor. Top Hat concludes with an article by Stefan Alexxis that breaks down the difference between magician and bizarrist and highlights what a bizarrist must do for his or her audience.

Once again, Michael Jay has put in the effort to ensure that issue 10 is a strong as it can be. And this issue is incredibly strong. At 83 pages, it's the largest issue yet and gets my highest score to date with a 9/10.
This is basically a magic book worth your time for study and as always it's FREE.

I said it in my last review and I'll say it again: Top Hat has become a MUST download. Miss it at your peril.

Best wishes
Gary Scott

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Top Hat is a free publication for any magicians interested. While I believe that our latest issue, #10, is theory heavy and trick lite, it's still an excellent magazine and worth your time and effort. You can download the latest issue, along with previous issues (and a couple of extras) at the Top Hat Magazine on FaceBook:

Click Here for Top Hat page

In keeping with the Top Hat Magazine ethos, please feel free to share this and all other issues with your friends and family in magic.

Mike.
You can get the latest issues of Top Hat by clicking here.
Visit us on FaceBook by clicking here.
Elwood
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I'd like to add a few points to the above reviews, rather than adding another review.

Firstly, Top Hat, both this issue in particular, and the entire back issue library, is an entertaining, educational and enlightening read. Sure, the style has changed over the years, but the ethos has remained. This is a zine put together by serious students and lovers of Magic, with the aim of furthering the Art, encouraging knowledge of the history of our Art and, perhaps most importantly, encouraging you to push what you already know in new directions.

I must admit that I have never been a regular reader of Top Hat, in that I don't download every issue as soon as it comes out, I have read several issues, and even had stuff published there. Michael Jay is a friend of mine (in the online sense), but I will not allow that to sway my opinion - Top Hat is a great publication and resource.

The latest issue (which is free, has no adverts and has a free gift of some small value and great use!) is a very enjoyable read. As well as effects with flash paper, there is the history of it. As well as Bizarre effects, there are stories to get you thinking creatively. And there I the first chapter of a novel in there!

Highly recommended, on so many levels.
Elwood
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Almost forgot: here's where to find Top Hat
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670559619838521/
Michael Jay
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Regular user
Toledo, Ohio
180 Posts

Profile of Michael Jay
We are now listed at Lybrary.com and a big "Thank You" to Chris Wasshuber for carrying the magazine on his excellent site. You can find it here:

http://www.lybrary.com/top-hat-volume-2-......551.html

Mike.
You can get the latest issues of Top Hat by clicking here.
Visit us on FaceBook by clicking here.
Michael Jay
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Regular user
Toledo, Ohio
180 Posts

Profile of Michael Jay
Issues #11 and #12 are now available on Lybrary.com here:

http://www.lybrary.com/magazines-comics-......375.html

Remember, these are free publications with no strings attached. Also, our new trailer for the Top Hat series is now available (please feel free to share it liberally!):

https://youtu.be/gKHCIzBQf0I

If you have any questions, please feel free to post them or PM me directly.

Mike.
You can get the latest issues of Top Hat by clicking here.
Visit us on FaceBook by clicking here.
Sh9bum9
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Profile of Sh9bum9
In this era of youtube rip-offs, it's amazing to see someone offer quality sharing for free!!!
Thanks so much!
Decisions determine destiny. Thomas S. Monson
Michael Jay
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Regular user
Toledo, Ohio
180 Posts

Profile of Michael Jay
Hey, thanks for the 'shout-out'! Issue #13 is available and #14 is due out on the 15th of January.

Here's wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mike.
You can get the latest issues of Top Hat by clicking here.
Visit us on FaceBook by clicking here.
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