Top Hat Tuesday is ready to return for its first show of 2014, boasting an exciting new venue and an all-star cast. Your host-with-the-most, Bayden Hammond, has assembled the following creme de la creme of conjurers:

David Key: Featured in Vogue magazine as one of the most promising magicians in Italy, David’s act is a poetic blend of comedy, illusion and astonishment. “Magic is a moment of purity” he explains, “it’s a travel inside your mind, an excuse to be told a story, and a moment when everything is possible.” We’re sure you’ll agree!
Jason D Varga: Words simply cannot describe the curious events that occur when Jason takes to the stage. A gifted mentalist and hypnotherapist, Jason is possibly best described as an ‘extra-sensory perceptionist.’ Mysteries will unravel, minds will be read and predictions will come true – do you dare to believe?
Nick Kesidis: Top Hat Tuesday is always excited to bring back a crowd favourite, and Nick Kesidis certainly ticks that box! A unique blend of street performer and entertainer, Nick boasts a repertoire of exciting, fast-paced and impactful magic that will surely leave you gobsmacked.
Elio Simonetti: We are absolutely delighted to welcome Elio back to the Top Hat Tuesday stage. Recognised as one of Australia’s most inventive and artistic magicians, Elio is the perfect embodiment of elegance and style in the art of conjuring. Coupled with an act of truly international calibre, we think you’re in for a real treat!

February 4th
7pm – 9pm
The 86, Cocktail & Cabaret Bar
185 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Tickets at www.tophattuesdays.com

The Melbourne Magic Festival is upon us, and this is your chance to see magic performed so close you can touch it!

The Close Up Gallery is a nightly magic show dedicated to the most difficult form of illusion – close up magic.  See incredible card and coin manipulation, feel a spoon bend in your own hands or just sit back and marvel at amazing magic as it happens right under your nose. With a specially designed, intimate performance space and a limited number of seats for every show, The Close Up Gallery showcases the skills of three different performers every night throughout the festival.

Bayden is excited to announce two exclusive festival appearances:

Saturday 6th July & Saturday 13th July
9.30pm – Studio 2, Northcote Town Hall
Tickets available here

For those who are yet to experience the charming and often quirky world of Dane Certificate’s magic theatre, you’re in for a treat. Nestled in an unassuming alleyway in Brunswick, the theatre offers a doorway into another realm. It’s a vaudeville world of smoke and mirrors where belief is suspended and Cheshire cats roam, and for me, it’s the quintessential magician’s playground.

Every Friday and Saturday night, you can enjoy a deliciously diverse mix of entertainment as Dane hosts two hours of side-show entertainment and magic, from the uncanny to the mystifying, from the hilarious to the spooky. Like the fairy tale world it resembles, the venue oozes with a life of its own, with surprising characters and twists around every corner. So take a deep breath and prepare to leave your world behind, because this is one rabbit hole you may never want to leave…

Grab your tickets today!

As a passionate advocate for animal welfare, Bayden is delighted to announce that he will be the resident magician at Edgar’s Mission 10 Year Anniversary. You can find out all about Edgar’s important work, and make much-needed donations, by visiting www.edgarsmission.org.au. 

Edgar’s Mission is a leading farm sanctuary celebrating ten years of rescuing and caring for neglected and abused farm animals. And now they want you to be a part of this very special event. So why not come and meet some of the star animals, taste some delicious cruelty-free food, and enjoy a range of fun entertainment and live music – not to mention some baffling magic from Bayden!

When: Saturday April 13th
Time: 11.00am – 2.00pm
Where: Princes Park, Carlton

It’s the Melbourne International Comedy Festival! That means a lot of entertainment right here in Melbourne competing for your attention. Well, that’s okay – because we’ve put together an incredible line-up of entertainment that will not only have you laughing, it will have you baffled and gobsmacked too! Legend of the Melbourne magic circuit, Warren Jackman, returns on April 2^nd to host a non-stop, action-filled night of comedy, magic and illusion. Join him as he shares the stage with an array of incredible artists.

• Jo Clyne – Jo is an acclaimed magician, performer and historian. Having spent eleven years at university, you may expect an intellectual twist or two as Jo baffles you with her witchery. This could be the closest you’ll ever get to seeing Hermione Granger perform live!
• Bayden Hammond – The man, the myth. Bayden is the genie whose love for all things magic brought Top Hat Tuesdays to life. With a unique blend of humour, magic and mentalism, he’ll be sure to leave you smiling, spellbound and scratching your head all at the same time.
• Ben Hutton – Arguably one of the best shows at last year’s Melbourne Magic Festival, Ben fuses magic, music and surrealism like no other. If you have ever dreamed about a magician, it was probably Ben Hutton – you just didn’t know it at the time.
• Frank Agius – A true legend of magic, Frank returns to Top Hat Tuesday as an internationally acclaimed act, having performed alongside the world’s best magicians. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to see him live on stage!

Visit www.tophattuesdays.com for online tickets and information!

Well it’s been just over a year since my first performance at The Variety Collective, and what a year it has been. I’ve managed to squeeze in performances at Dane Certificate’s fantastic new theatre, perform at the Melbourne Magic Festival and even launch a monthly magic show. I’ve never been more excited, busier or crazier about magic in my whole life (except maybe my 10th birthday party)! I’ve also met some fantastic people along the way and feel extremely privileged to stand amongst such a genuine, talented group of magicians right here in Melbourne.

One such person is Nicholas J Johnson, the mastermind behind The Variety Collective, and the hugely popular Close Up Gallery (which features during the magic festival). So if you’re free on Wednesday 13th March, why not join us for a memorable night of laughs and entertainment? You will not regret it, and in fact you may just want to come back again… and again… and again…

8pm, Wednesday 13th march
The Brunswick Green | 313 Sydney Road | Brunswick

It’s science week and that means only one thing! Science Themed Variety Collective!

This month, Bayden Hammond joins us fresh off the Melbourne Magic Festival circuit to host a night of unmissable comedy, magic and illusion. So be sure to join him, together with some of Melbourne’s most talented magicians.

Alex De La Rambelje – Star of comedy festival sell-out “A Modern Deception”, Alex is a dynamic showman and breath-taking sleight-of-hand artist sure to leave you questioning the rules of physics.
Brendan Croft – Like our very own Evel Knievel, this daredevil of magic will have you clenching your teeth as he attempts the dangerously impossible.
Nick Kesidis – Direct from his highly praised show at the Melbourne Magic Festival, award-winning magician Nick Kesidis will baffle you, charm you, and maybe even lick you… that’s no joke!
Frank Agius – A true legend of magic, Frank is an internationally acclaimed act, having performed alongside the world’s best magicians. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to see him live on stage!

As always, discounted pre-sale tickets are available to purchase right now . We look forward to seeing you at another unforgettable Top Hat Tuesday!

Bayden will be performing in The Stage Gala Show and The Close Up Gallery at this year’s Melbourne Magic Festival.

What: The Stage Gala Show
When: 7.00pm on Monday 2nd July
Where: Studio 1 at the Northcote Town Hall
Cost: $22 tickets available here.

What: The Close Up Gallery
When: Bayden’s 2 performances will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday 7th July and Saturday 14th July
Where: Studio 2 at the Northcote Town Hall
Cost: $15 tickets available here.

Be sure to visit http://melbournemagicfestival.com/ for all your Magic Festival news and events!

Bayden is very excited to announce the launch of Top Hat Tuesdays!

www.tophattuesdays.com

Top Hat Tuesdays are a celebration of the magical arts, showcasing the best of Melbourne’s local and travelling magicians. Every month, you can come and experience an unforgettable night of magic and mystery, sure to leave you and your friends truly breathless.

Where: Charlton’s – Level 2 / 2 Coverlid Place, Melbourne (off Little Bourke st in Chinatown)

When: Doors open 7pm, show from 7.30pm – 9pm; first Tuesday of every month!

Cost: $10 (+ $2.50 booking fee) = $12.50 pre-sale tickets online, or $15 at the door

Our grand opening show is set jor June 5th, and will bring together some of Melbourne’s best magical talent, including Glenn Hamilton, Luke Hocking and Anthony DeMasi. Don’t miss out, grab your tickets today!