Table of Contents A Letter from the Editor by Michael Jay..........................................................1 Letters to the Editor……………………………………………………….…………………………..3 Christmas Memory by Ken Muller……………………………….……..……………………....4 The Art of Reading Magic by Gary Scott……….……………………………………………..6 The Elegant Sorcerer by Joshua Shuh……………………………….…………………………18 Three (Self-Working) Card Tricks by Werner Miller…….…….…………..………..….34 Baubles, Bangles & Bibelots by Dave Wyton……………………………………..……….42 Christmas Cups and Balls by Jon A. Hand………………………..………….…….………..48 Almond Brothers by Ken Muller……………………………….…….……..……..….…………57 Christmas Scripts by Ken Muller………………………………………………….…….………..63 The Magician by Michael Jay………………………………………….…..……….……………..64 Bizarre Bursary…………………………………………….……………………………………………..71 Merry Christmas...Mr. Torrance by Mark Williams…………….………….…………..72 The Death Rose by Weepin' Willie………………………………………...……….…………..75 Visionary Reflections from the Secret Laboratory of the Nyama Possessor……………………………………………………………………79 End Page………………………………………………………………..……………………………..….125 This table of contents is linked to the articles - Just point and click A MagicBunny.Co.Uk Production A Letter from the Editor by Michael Jay It is the season of giving. Maybe I was premature when, in October, I suggested that our readers take a moment and consider making a small contribution to Gareth Hobson's charity Boxing for Cancer. I hope that, with Christmas right around the corner, we'll get a response for Gareth. Gareth's target amount is £150 and if just 100 of our readers were to donate a single pound, he would almost be at his target. I honestly believe that this issue of Top Hat is worth a pound and if you agree, then take a moment, click on the link (above) and kick that dosh Gareth's way. There has been talk of adding "Easter Eggs" to our issues of Top Hat. While we will not be doing that this month, be on the lookout in upcoming issues for these Easter Eggs that will direct you where to e-mail to get some terrific extras or other links to material that will be exclusive to our Top Hat readers. Not to worry, I'll tell you in my editor's letter just how many Easter Eggs there are to be found in the issue - I just won't tell you where. Please make sure that you are telling your family and friends in magic about Top Hat - you are our only advertising. I feel that we have a lot to offer to magicians in any arena (be it amateur, semi-pro, or full professional), but if we're not getting the word out then Top Hat is doomed to failure. Share the links to download our magazines, found in three places: Magic Bunny FaceBook Lybrary (Hey! Those are links - you can click on 'em!) So let me formally welcome you to our Christmas Special Edition of Top Hat and let me further calm your fears that we'll be publishing special editions for every damn holiday or jubilee that comes down the pike. This should be our last special edition until next Halloween (and even then, there's no guarantee that we'll have a Halloween special in 2016). I wanted this edition of Top Hat to Volume 2; Issue 13; December '15 Page 1 A MagicBunny.Co.Uk Production be dedicated to the unlucky number 13, but since the Halloween special was only a month ago and popular opinion was in favor of a Christmas special, I had to humbly abnegate. And I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised by the quality of articles in this issue, particularly those that are Christmas themed. We start you off with first time contributor Ken Muller and his bittersweet Christmas story. Following that Gary Scott continues his 3 part series on how to get the most out of your books and Joshua Shuh finishes off his thesis that he started in the last issue. Werner Miller continues his self-working card trick series with another 3 tricks for you to learn and regular contributor Dave Wyton offers us several Christmas themed tricks. Jon A. Hand gives us a Christmas themed cups & balls routine, which is followed by another article from Ken Muller, only this time it's an actual trick for you. Interestingly, Ken then follows with two specific scripts that can be used for a Christmas theme, the first serves as a script for a classic card trick and the second can be used with several classic tricks. Bringing this section to an end is the next installment of the novel, 'The Magician', for those who are actually following Danny's descent into hell. I'll let Señor Muerto give you the low-down on the Bizarre Bursary when you get there. Volume 2; Issue 13; December '15 Page 2 A MagicBunny.Co.Uk Production I enjoyed the Halloween theme, tricks and stories. Will you be publishing another themed issue? David Strang I reckon that this issue of Top Hat answers your question, but please allow me to clarify the matter. I do enjoy putting together the themed issues and I'm certain that we'll have more of them in the future, but they take up a great deal of extra time in formatting them and finding artwork as well as getting the writers to give me themed articles. In addition, I don't want to fall into a rut of publishing a themed edition every time there's a minor holiday just around the corner. I'm pleased that you're enjoying these themed issues and I hope that all of our readers feel the same way. ____________________________________________________________________________ I just wanted to thank you for all your time and work with Top Hat. It's a great e-zine and I look forward to it. James Pavel On behalf of everyone who works very hard to get these issues produced, you're welcome. If you are enjoying these magazines, then please consider contributing to Gareth's charity (discussed above). I would also appreciate it if you would refer to these issues as 'magazines' and not 'e-zines'. Somehow, 'e-zine' just seems below the level of these issues as a descriptor. Am I being a bit snobbish? Yes, I think that I am, but I think that too many people work too hard on this publication to relegate it to the label of 'e-zine'. It is a 'magazine'! Volume 2; Issue 13; December '15 Page 3 A MagicBunny.Co.Uk Production Christmas Memory by Ken Muller Dennis didn’t perform much magic any more, and in recent years only when the family was gathered for dinner and “catching up.” This used to mean four or five holidays a year. Nowadays, with everyone busy faking more important things, Christmas provided the only captive audience – at least if the gift exchange came after the meal and entertainment. Progressive arthritis also restricted his favorite effects to larger objects and minimal sleights. While his waning skills decreased possible mystery, cocktails and wine enhanced the astonishment. Everyone appreciated seeing grandpa “do his thing,” and the stories later told to friends and abstemious kin enhanced simple magic into incredible illusions. Christmas is like that – or used to be. Most Christmas gifts are not surprises but the manifestation of hints and ploys or outright begging. The thrill of shopping for “special items” and the chance to feign wisdom while the receiver acts surprised is part of the “gimmie” game. Thus, magic tricks fit right in – the performer pretends to do something impossible and the viewers pretend to be fooled. Most surprise comes from not seeing Dennis drop props on the floor, though astonishment occurs in spite of everyone. The family greatly appreciates the classic effects, partially because they have some idea of how the tricks are done and can appear smug and superior over their children. The other reason is that Dennis does them so well that everyone can honestly say, “Never seen it better – even on YouTube.” Dennis had his favorites and believed these were the favorites of his family as well: Sympathetic Silks, Linking Rings and a series of Rope Effects. He practiced these continuously by “drinking from an empty cup.” Dennis went through the motions of each routine daily with no props, moving his hands as if holding the actual objects while subvocalizing the story. With his eyes closed he could imagine observing the presentation from afar and make minor changes if a flaw was detected. In his perception, physical limitations in anything are only an opportunity to change and improve. “Practice does NOT make perfect,” he mumbled to himself. “Perfect practice makes perfect!” Volume 2; Issue 13; December '15 Page 4 A MagicBunny.Co.Uk Production A nurse asked Dennis what he had said. “Doing magic,” he replied. Laughter! “The magic is that I am here to do it again this Christmas!” She heard only “Chrismus” and “magic,” the rest was garbled. The nurse chuckled and watched his strange hand movements for a while. It wasn’t unusual for an Alzheimer’s patient to act out memories with their fingers and chant gibberish, but this was extraordinary. Surprising that he knew it was Christmas. “Does he remember what that means?” she thought. “Magic? I guess it is magical for all those relatives to come by on Christmas afternoon and sit a spell.” All the nurses and staff stopped by for the annual event, though none understood what his strange sign language conveyed or why the gathered clan applauded his antics. Such understanding came from imagination grounded in what use-ta-be, with each spectator providing images of objects to fill the dancing fingers. See the rainbow scarves and yellow rope and silver loops that ring like chimes! You can’t ask for more magic than that! Well, maybe … We look at a group of carved figurines gathered around a manger and are transported to a place distant in space and time.