Showing posts with label Jeff Hinchliffe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeff Hinchliffe. Show all posts

15 January 2024

Random thoughts about "An Evening of Magic Shop Memories"

Last Saturday, Jeff Pinsky hosted "An Evening of Magic Shop Memories" at The Browser's Den of Magic.

It was a lovely way to spend an evening!

We heard stories from: 

  • Mike Segal
  • Greg Hobor
  • Richard Lyn
  • Nicole Lee
  • Dick Joiner
  • Mike King
  • David Sutherland
  • Gordon Precious -- who, as an added bonus performed 2 effects for us!
  • Colin Geddes
  • David Peck
  • Jeff Hinchliffe,
  • Sammy Jakubowicz, and
  • our host Jeff Pinsky


Stories told included Magic Masters, Daytona Magic, Macy's, The Arcade, The Den (on Bloor across from Varsity Arena, above Yuk Yuk's, Bathurst and Eglinton, and now!), Morrissey's (Montreal and Toronto) and even Marie & Jack Hughes living room in London, England!  They also included names like Sophie Smith, Len & Bernice Cooper, Herb & Dan Morrissey, Henry Gordon, Jay Sankey, Gary Kurtz, David Ben, Mark Lewis, David Mitchell, Danny Tsukalis, Steve Martin, Jim Carey, Keanu Reeves, and more!

 

Did you know that:

  • Bernice Cooper often baby sat a Toronto magician's son at the store?
  • Dick Joiner first saw Mark Lewis in England?
  • David Copperfield once ended his grand illusion show in Toronto with "What's Next?" 
  • Keanu Reeves used to hang out at The Browser's Den of Magic?
  • There used to be a Canadian 25 cent bill!

 

Thank you older Jeff, for conceiving and hosting this wonderful evening of sharing!



From the January 14th Facebook post by Greg Hobor at The Browser's Den of Magic Facebook group:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 October 2023

Checking in with Ben Train and The Art of Magic [Oct 21]

Toronto Magic Company logo

This morning we let you know about the upcoming The Art of Magic show presented by The Toronto Magic Company.  

If you've never been to one of these shows, they're a very unique experience.  Ben Train was kind enough to answer some questions we had about The Toronto Magic Company, and The Art of Magic.

 

Ben Train

Ben Train




What is the Toronto Magic Company (TMC)?

In 2016 I partnered up with my best friend Jonah Babins to produce magic shows across the GTA. Specifically, we wanted to produce GOOD magic shows - the kind of shows we’d be excited to see.

Since then we’ve produced more than 200 shows a year, worked with hundreds of amazing magicians from around the world, and entertained thousands of people.

 

Who are the players in TMC?

There’s myself, Ben Train, and my good buddy Jonah Babins. We’re the two co-founders. We also have an amazing team working behind the scenes; video editors and photographers, our incredible magicians and volunteers, and of course - our audiences!


Ben Train and Jonah Babins

Ben and Jonah Babins on an adventure.

 


 

What is The Art of Magic?

Magicians have been talking about magic being an art form for hundreds of years. So in 2018 Jonah and I had an idea. What if we produced an event that wasn’t just a show, but rather a “gallery” of magic art?

And that’s what we did! We filled a gallery with magic-themed art (posters, props, and interactive exhibits), invited some of our favourite close-up magicians to walk around the space performing, and finished the whole experience off with a stage magic show filled with mind-reading and illusions.
 

Examining the art at The Art of magic

Admiring the art at
The Art of Magic



 
How does The Art of Magic differ from the Toronto Magic Company's other offerings? 

All of our shows have different concepts, because we want to appeal to different audiences and we want to explore different ways of presenting magic.

What most of our shows have in common though is that they follow a pretty traditional show format: you arrive at the venue, sit in your seat, watch a show, and then go home. (I promise the shows are waaay more fun than that description makes them sound!)

What makes The Art of Magic different is that it’s not just a show, but rather an interactive exhibit that lets you explore magic in different ways (including actively being part of the experience in ways you simply couldn’t do with a typical show).

Oh… and on top of all that you ALSO get an amazing show!

 

Jonah Babins at The Art of Magic

Jonah entertaining at The Art of Magic

 

 

How was the recent September show (the 30th Art of Magic show) different from the very first The Art of Magic show?

The first Art of Magic, back in 2018, was very different. We were in a different location, which meant different limitations (and advantages), we didn’t have access to enough magic-themed art, and we were relying more on out-of-town talent.

When the pandemic temporarily shut us down we used our time to retool everything.

We found a better venue (two floors which allowed us to have different experiences happening at the same time), we got WAAAY more magic-related art pieces (Several dozen and counting), and watched as the talent in Toronto developed to a point where we no longer needed to bring in outside help (though we still bring in performers from all over the world - because we love featuring the best magicians on the planet!).

The concept is ALWAYS something we’re tweaking with, because we’re always trying to make it better. Speaking of which, if anyone reading this has been to one of our shows and has ideas for how we can improve… please message me! ( ben at TorontoMagicCompany dot com)


Ben Train at The Art of Magic

Ben entertaining at The Art of Magic



 

What have you learned from producing 30 of these shows?

That there are waaaaay easier ways to make money lol.

Also, I’ve learnt that sometimes the things that excite ME (or passionate magic lovers like me) aren't necessarily what excites the general public. So as we test and try new things we pay special attention to which exhibits resonate with people and WHY, so we can make all our future events better.

 

 

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about The Art of Magic?

Yah. Buy some tickets and come on out!

If you’re a magic fan, this is a must-attend. I truly believe that.

And if you’re not yet a magic fan but you are a fan of fun nights… come on out and we’ll convert you. ;)


Thank you Ben, for making the time to answer our questions!
 
 
You have two chances to catch The Art of Magic on Saturday October 21st.  The show features:  Jeff Hinchliffe, Harry Zimmerman, Jonah Babins, and James Alan.  (Ben Train will be appearing in the second show.)   Tickets at Eventbrite.

 

Learn more about The Toronto Magic Company and follow them on Facebook, and Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

Toronto: The Art of Magic [Oct 21]

From Eventbrite:

Toronto has spoken! After more than 30 straight sold out shows,The Art of Magic is BACK! This time with full night of magic plus an interactive EXHIBIT

The Art of Magic is way more than just a show. It’s an entire evening filled with beautiful magic inspired art, and interactive magical exhibit and most importantly a secret magic show that you have to see to believe!

The Gallery
The fun begins at 6pm OR 8pm -  inside the Super Wonder Gallery. Enjoy delicious drinks while you interact with our magical art.

We don't want to give away all our secrets but you'll get to enjoy:

100+ year old magic props, world famous magic posters, and paintings and physical illusions that you get to BE IN! (You read that right!)

The Close-up Magic
During the gallery, while you're drinking, relaxing and enjoying the night - our magicians are working! 5 Magicians will be wandering around the event doing close-up magic that happens IN YOUR HANDS!

This is a chance for you to not only experience magic, but to experience a lot of it, right at your finger tips!

The Secret Show
At one magical moment during the night you are whisked away to a private SECRET show . This is a private show, for a small selection of the audience where you get to interact up close and personal with the magic. It's intimate, impossible, and this is magic of the highest level the way it was meant to be experienced: up close and personal. Seating for this secret experience is extremely limited and is included with your ticket to the Art of Magic show!

In order to ensure every seat in the house is a good one, only 50 tickets are available each show for this intimate theatre experience. Make sure you order yours before they disappear forever!

Oh! And did we mention that each ticket comes with a drink 🍸 😘

Read more and buy tickets.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 August 2023

The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari - part 9

Recap (click to show | hide)

From Part 1 of the series:

In lieu of a physical reunion bringing together past campers and staff, Canada’s Magic is hosting a virtual reunion of sorts.  We’ve reached out to the Sorcerers Safari community with a dozen or so questions to help bring us up to date on what everyone has been up to since our magic camp days.

If you completed our survey, keep your eyes peeled for your segment!  

If you would like to participate but haven’t filled out the survey, there’s still time.  The survey can be found here:  https://forms.gle/umg77yj9QxUzfpm76

Thank you to all that contributed!


 

Mike, Jen, Sorcerers Safari staff, and alumni, this series is for you.

 

The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari
<< part 8  |  part 10 >>

 

Part 9 features:  Marc Hache, Jeff Hinchliffe, Bill Wells, and Lauren Proctor

 

  Marc Hache  
Retired.

Attended camp from 2003 to 2010 as staff.

In his own words:

  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • Camper show every year. Those kids were amazing!

  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • The lifelong friendships I made especially with Jen and Mike.

 

 

  Jeff Hinchliffe  
Professional magician.

Attended camp in 2003 as staff, and from 2004 to 2011 as a counsellor.


Since his time at camp Jeff has:

  • Continued the tradition of passing along knowledge.


In his own words:

  • Sorcerers Safari helped cultivate a culture of sharing and growing together.


  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • Every year was the "best year ever!"

  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • The friendships

 

I will never have another experience in magic that was like Sorcerers Safari!

 

 

  Bill Wells  
Retired.

Attended camp in 2014 as a guest.

In his own words:

  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • The kids!!!

  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • Seeing what a great network existed between staff and campers.

 

 

  Lauren Proctor 
Director of Customer Service & Art.

Attended camp from 1999 to 2008 as camper and CIT (counsellor in training).

Lauren has this to say about her time after Sorcerers Safari:

  • While I don't think anything I've accomplished is "significant" in the sense of contributing to the world or the profession as a whole, my accomplishments are significant to my life.  
  • I'm very proud of the life I've built for myself; it is not a life that just happened, but one I have worked hard to obtain.  
  • I've met the love of my life who I've started a family with and moved to Colorado.  
  • I've built a network of wonderful humans who I consider my family.  
  • I've found a career that is exciting, stimulating and allows me to be creative every day.
  • These are all such simple things, but I'm incredibly grateful for them.


In her own words:

  • I think many of my accomplishments in my career can be credited to my time at Sorcerers Safari.  
  • Performance Workshop was a fantastic opportunity to learn how to give and receive constructive criticism.  
  • Performing directly influenced my creativity and gave me confidence when public speaking.  
  • Spending time in a male dominated industry as a youth gave me confidence and taught me how to speak up in the male dominated industry I've landed in. 
  • Most importantly, Sorcerers Safari taught me the value of relationships and how to navigate long distance ones.  The good ones are certainly worth time spent apart.  


  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • Gosh, there are so many.  I don't think I can pinpoint one specific memory as the best.  More, it's the feeling I get when I reminisce on my time there.  It was a time of youthful innocence coupled with newly found independence.  It was a time of mystery and illusion.  I spent almost a decade of my life looking forward to a single week of camp, reconnecting with friends from years past, showcasing new skills and nerding out over our common interest.  [emphasis added]
    • There are a handful of camp friends that I grew up with; we spent that week, summer after summer together (for me at least) finally feeling at home.  
    • If I had to pick one memory, I would say our girls' cabin rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody is high on the list.  What on earth were we thinking?!


  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • I am grateful for all of my takeaways from Sorcerers Safari, but my biggest gift is one of my favourite humans.  I gained a best friend at magic camp, someone who has been in it with me now for over 20 years.  She was the Maid of Honour at my wedding, someone who has known the ins and outs of my life for over two decades.  This kind of a friend doesn't just grow on trees.  Thank you Sorcerers Safari for giving me RR.

 

 

Thank you Marc, Jeff, Bill, and Lauren for sharing your memories!

Check back throughout the month to read updates from other Sorcerers Safari alumni and staff!

 

 Previously featured 

 

Learn more about Sorcerers Safari.

part 1part 2  | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12

<< part 8  |  part 10 >>

 

 

22 May 2023

Toronto: The Art of Magic [Jun 3]

Tickets at Eventbrite.

 

From the May 18th Instagram post by the Toronto Magic Company:

Toronto has spoken! After 24 straight sold out shows The Art of Magic is BACK!

If you missed out on getting tickets for our previous events, good news: in order to ensure everyone has a chance to experience the magic, we’re doing TWO shows on June 3rd!!!

So… what’s it all about? Great question!

The Art of Magic is way more than just a show. It’s an entire evening filled with beautiful magic inspired art, an interactive magical exhibit and most importantly a secret magic show that you have to see to believe!

The Gallery:
The fun begins inside the Super Wonder Gallery . Enjoy delicious drinks and music while you interact with our magical art.

The Exhibit:
After the open gallery viewing it's time for the exhibition. This is a combination of an interactive magic show, and a gallery tour, AT THE SAME TIME. You'll be transported through some of magic's most incredible moments all experienced by YOU in an intimate setting

The Secret Show:
At one magical moment during the night you are whisked away to a private SECRET show. This is a private show, for a small selection of the audience. It's intimate, impossible, and is magic the way it was meant to be experienced: up close and personal.

Seating for this secret experience is extremely limited and is included with your ticket to the Art of Magic show!

In order to ensure every seat in the house is a good one, only 60 tickets are available per showing for this intimate theatre experience. Make sure you order yours before they disappear forever!

 

 

 

 

21 December 2022

Toronto: Lectures by Train & Babins [Jan 15], Lewis [Jan 28], Hinchliffe [Feb 18], and Hood [Feb 25]

At The Browser's Den of magic:

  • Ben & Jonah's Lecture  [Jan 15]
  • Mark Lewis  [Jan 28]
  • Jeff Hinchliffe [Feb 18]
  • Scott Hood [Feb 25]

 

From the December 18th Facebook post by The Browser's Den of Magic:

Buy Two Get Two Free, Upcoming Lectures!
Read details the newsletter and buy tickets.

 

 

12 December 2022

Markham: Music and Magic for the Holiday Season [Dec 15]

Tickets at Eventbrite.

 

From the Facebook event:

Come join us for a magical evening of Christmas songs performed by the beautiful and talented Alexia Marian in between the mind-blowing magic acts of the under-rated underground genius Jeff Hinchliffe, the balloon maestro Sean Rooney, and master of sleight-of-hand Andrew Eland! Also featuring Michael Murphy on the drums and Kemin Zhang on the piano when not telling bad jokes and conspiracy theory stories about Santa Claus.

It's a fun date with that special someone or can be a wholesome evening with family and friends!

Everyone who comes to the show will also be eligible to enter the special lucky draw for some surprise Christmas presents, the top prize being a brand new violin!

 

 

 

 

14 November 2022

Toronto: Browser’s Den of Magic 47th Anniversary party! [Nov 20]

From The Browser's Den of Magic:

Sunday, November 20
 
BIG DISCOUNTS ON ALL MAGIC ALL DAY LONG * MINI MAGIC AUCTION * MAGIC TRIVIA QUIZ WITH BIG PRIZES * LEN COOPER MEMORIAL AWARD * BIRTHDAY CAKE

Due to the virus this will be the first anniversary party in two years! Many of you have been customers of ours since the beginning back in 1975. We hope that you will be able to join us on November 20!
 
This is also the day that we remember our founders Len and Bernice Cooper.
 
Jeff Pinsky purchased Browser's Den from Len and Bernice in November 1995. Len Cooper passed away in 2003. Since then at each anniversary party we hand out in Len's memory a full set of eight Tarbell Course in Magic books to someone under 26 years of age who has shown a dedication to the art of magic. Jeff Hinchliffe was the first recipient of the award!
 
PLUS - In appreciation of your devotion to our shop this is the only day of the year where EVERYTHING in the shop is on sale all day long!
Everyone who comes to the shop gets to choose a playing card from a deck. On that card will be a number that represents the percentage discount on any non-auction items you buy during the day.

You may use the card as many times as you wish. Discount cards range from 10% to 20% off.
 
SPECIAL NOTE: Masks must be worn in the shop at all times except at the end of the day when we serve cake.
 
Yours very truly - The Jeff's & The Browser's Den Team 

Read more.


 

 

 

 

 

05 October 2022

Toronto: Ring 17 social meet [Oct 6] and Jeff Hinchliffe lecture recap

Ring 17 is having a social meet this Thursday at Shoeless Joe's Sports Grill, 3200 Dufferin St, North York.  Contact Ring 17 for details.

 

From the October 3rd Facebook post by Ring 17:

No, that wasn't a practical joke when we suddenly switched the lecture speaker last week! Sadly just two days before our lecture, our scheduled speaker and past president James Alan tested positive for that trendy virus that just won't go away (and we thought the Macarena stuck around a long time!), so we had to scramble. We are truly grateful that Sir Jeff Hinchliffe stepped up to help us out. Our heads are still reeling from the routines and knowledge he dropped on us including a some history of magic colouring books and his new rising card effect! And it was member Rob Fishbaum's birthday! His family must really love him if they let him spend his special day with us! Afterwards folks went down to the Uptown Pub for drinks, food and of course, MAGIC! 

NOTE: We did videotape the lecture (thanks to member Chris Mayhew) and are currently editing it. As soon as that is done, a screening link will be made available to members to view – just one of the new perks of being a member of the 2022-2023 season!

Reviews are thumbs up on the venue we were used for Jeff's lecture, the Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church located by York Mills Station, which has a big open hall and a parking lot to match. We have been having difficulty finding venues that are central and within the club's budget, but hope to return here. We will be exploring other spaces over the season as we are not always able to get the dates that we want for certain places. 

Thanks to everyone who came out! It was great seeing you all in person and we look forward to more Meet-Ups and Events to come


 

 

 

 

 

25 February 2022

Etobicoke: Jeff Hinchliffe, Charles McBurney and Jim Byrnes [Mar 9]

From the February 16th Facebook post by Jeff Hinchliffe:

I will be giving my first public live performance in almost two years! Along with my good friends and colleagues Charles McBurney and Jim Byrnes, it will be an evening of fun, food, and lots of fooling!

Won't you join us?

 

 

02 April 2020

Jeff Hinchliffe's "30 Minutes of Magic"

From the Browser's Den of Magic Newsletter:
Here's a note from none other than Mr. Michael Close about our new project:
As we all struggle through these stressful times, here’s a suggestion to help navigate the chaos: use your new-found time to do something good for yourself and to do something good for someone else.

The Browsers Den magic shop is offering you a way to do just that. Jeff Hinchliffe (young Jeff to all of you) will be offering a weekly, thirty-minute, online magic class. Jeff will not only discuss the “nuts-and-bolts” how of each routine covered, he will also discuss the “why,” which makes me happy because this has been the focus of my published work over the last thirty years.

So, for one reasonable price, you will be able to accomplish two laudable things: 1) you’ll learn some great tricks and improve your magic; 2) you’ll help out The Browsers Den, an iconic part of the magic landscape of the GTA.

Everyone is going to be challenged by this unprecedented global situation; for small businesses, in particular, it will be exceptionally precarious. Take this opportunity to do some good for yourself and someone else.

My name is Michael Close, and I approve this message.

Now stay away from me.
Michael Close

So to you our Loyal Denizens we are very excited to introduce...


30 Minutes of Magic!


30 Minutes of Magic will be a weekly DOWNLOADABLE video lesson taught by Jeff Hinchliffe (henceforth known as Young Jeff).
Read more and subscribe.



20 August 2019

Toronto: Take classes with Jeff Hinchliffe

Saturday August 24th marks the first of a series of card classes taught by Jeff Hinchliffe.


From the Browser's Den of Magic eFlyer:
SATURDAY AUGUST, 24 from 9:30am (SHARP) to 10:30am- JEFF HINCHLIFFE will be giving a group class on card magic. This will be the first of many that he will be offering on Saturday mornings.  Each class will be covering different aspects of card magic. All of the classes will be independent of one another, so that you don't have to attend them all in order to follow along. If you miss one or two you can jump right back in anytime and not feel lost.

Jeff Hinchliffe has a reputation throughout much of Canada for his knowledge of card magic and his ability to clearly teach. He really wants to help those who want to improve. So whether you are new to card magic or have been coming to Browser's Den for years you are certain to get more than your $15.00 worth of each class. And you'll have a FUN time too! PAY AT THE DOOR, $15.00

Additional classes:
  • SATURDAY AUGUST 31
  • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 7
  • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14
  • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21
  • SATURDAY OCTOBER 5 and
  • SATURDAY OCTOBER 12



20 June 2019

Toronto: Jeff Hinchliffe's Memorized Deck workshop

From the Browser's Den of Magic Newsletter:
Young Jeff here with a special announcement for the card guys...I am doing my second Memorized Deck workshop.

The date will be SATURDAY JULY 13th, and the workshop/lecture will run from 6:30pm-10:30pm. That's FOUR HOURS of memorized deck magic! The cost is $40 and will be limited to twenty participants. To sign-up you can either call the shop (416-783-7022) or e-mail me directly at jhinchliffe13 AT gmail DOT com

I will be covering a wide range of information about memorized decks, including breaking down the differences between different stacks, stack-dependent and stack-independent material, and how to maintain your memorized deck when performing non-memorized deck magic.


Read more.

27 August 2018

Rounding the Central rings in September 2018

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.



Montreal, QCRing 62 (20th Century Ring)- TBA.
Hamilton, ONRing 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)- Barry O’Neil lecture.
- Executive vote.
London, ONRing 265 (London Magician's Guild)- Auction.
Kitchener, ONRing 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)- Executive elections.
- Derrick Finn and Romaine kick off open-mic night.
Ottawa, ONRing 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)- TBA.
Ottawa, ONOttawa / Gatineau magicians- TBA
Toronto, ONRing 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)- Jeff Hinchliffe lecture. [Get your special limited edition collectible tickets!]
(also Daniel Garcia lecture at Browser's)


Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

08 August 2018

Toronto: Jeff Hinchliffe Memorized Deck workshop and private lessons

From Jeff Hinchliffe:
Firstly, I'm going to be giving a 4 hour Memorized Deck workshop on Saturday, September 8th, 2018, from 6pm-10pm. The cost of the workshop will be $50, and it will be limited to 20 people.

The workshop will cover a wide range of memorized deck work. We'll begin with the differences between stacked,cyclic, and memorized orders, and the advantages of the common/popular published mem-deck stacks (Aronson, Tamariz, Aragon, Redford).

From there, we will delve into tricks which are stack-independent (meaning that they work with any stack) to the open-index system, jazzing, and estimation. We will discuss the various sleights, techniques and subterfuges that one should have in their toolbox with the mem-deck in order to achieve maximum impact.

~~~~~~

Secondly, I'm happy to announce that I am again offering private lessons at the shop. I gave these lessons years ago at our Bathurst and Eglinton location and over the last several months enough people have inquired about lessons that I've decided to bring them back.

The lessons will take place at the shop, after business hours, Tuesday thru Friday evenings. The lessons will run 90 minutes in length, from 7pm to approximately 8:30pm, and will cost $120.

What we cover in the lesson is dependent on what you'd like to achieve. Whether it's adding a few new tricks to your repertoire, adding a few new sleights to your toolbox, or tightening and polishing existing material, I can help you.

Read more.

01 April 2017

Thank you to Greg Frewin for your help with setup.
  
Thank you also to Jeff Hinchliffe, Jonathan Sy, & Luiz Castro.

First mini-talk of the day by professional director, writer, and magician, Rosemary Reid!

Next mini-talk about his personal story of near-death, by Keith Brown.

01 July 2016

Toronto: Free magic club meeting

Hi There- This Saturday, July 2nd is our next (FREE) Magic Club Meeting. 
We meet at Browser's Den from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. All interested in talking magic are welcome.  
And we are pleased to let you know that it looks as if Jeff Hinchliffe will be joining us at the meeting. 
Happy Canada Day!
Jeff & The Browser's Den Team.
Serving Magicians Since 1975

24 May 2015

Review: "A Series of Unfortunate Effects"

From the Magic Junkies:
Coming in at around 90 minutes, A Series of Unfortunate Effects is a fun, engaging and wonderfully unique instructional DVD featuring some of the best card magic I’ve seen in some time. The movie (yep, I’m calling it a movie) features appearances by Lee Asher, Jeff Hinchliffe, Glenn West, Chris Westfall, plus the creators Chris Mayhew and Ben Train. Bill Abbott even makes an appearance as a maniacal card collector – hey if the shoe fits  Even without the card routines and explanations, I thought the movie was really fun with several laugh out loud moments. The chemistry between Chris Mayhew and Ben Train provides an enjoyable romp through underground card magic. (I’ll take this moment to mention that Chris Mayhew cracks me up!) The video itself is shot in HD and edited beautifully, with great attention to detail throughout. The appearances and card routines are just icing on the proverbial cake. It is a creative adventure that is a joy to watch.

Read more.

20 January 2015

Breaking news! Toronto: Browser's Den Bash!

Click for details.
See Magic. Learn Magic. Show Magic. Love Magic
April 12th, 2015 
Imagine 12 jam-packed hours of magic filled with a plethora of amazing talent, delicious food, and wonderful experiences that you cannot find elsewhere. Card guys, mentalists, stand-up magicians, stage perfomers, and everything in-between... there's something for everyone! You're going to have a fantastic time at the Browser's Magic Bash. It might even challenge the way you normally look at magic conventions.

Space is limited so act now and reserve your spot right away.

Read more and register.

28 May 2014

Review: A Series of Unfortunate Effects

From the Facebook page of A Series of Unfortunate Effects: