From Wayne Kawamoto,
Your Guide to Magic & Illusion.
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It’s a toilet plunger, vase, beanie cap and safari hat, all in one. “Hat’s Incredible” is a goofy, gag-laden, evolving hat prop that’s strictly for the kids. If such a silly effect can work in your kids show, this one does exactly what it says it will.

Hat Trick

The magician calls up a child to help and brings out a “magic wand.” The wand, however, is something that resembles a toilet plunger. The magician realizes his mistake and says that it’s a hat, which is placed onto the child’s head. After pulling off the handle, which becomes the “magic wand,” the plunger pushed inside-out into something that resembles a flower vase.

The vase is then stretched into a beanie style cap and placed onto the child’s head. Finally, the cap is turned upside down and turned into a safari hat that the child can wear for the rest of the routine.

Hats Off

Like the “broken wand” and other gags that magicians often use with young kids, “Hat’s Incredible” is not magic in itself, but a gag item that should get a reaction from those under eight years old. I’m not sure what the prop is made of, but it appears to be some type of heavy, laticed paper that’s dyed different colors and can be pulled in various ways and turned inside out to make the changes. In use, the prop does exactly what the ads say it will.

The prop looks odd close-up, in fact it’s hard to tell what it’s supposed to be. Also, the prop looks a lot better in the picture than it does in real life. But from a distance in a stand-up show, it mostly resembles its intended devices (toilet plunger, vases and hats). Devin Knight presents clear and thorough instructions that are easy to follow and the device is easy to work with once you get used to handling it.

Kids Only

Knight offers suggestions on using the device for grown-up shows, specifically to dress-up a “sword through neck” routine. However, I can’t see using this in any show for a group older than early elementary school kids. It’s a bit of funny business that’s strictly for those kid birthday parties.

I know that lots of kid performers get considerable mileage out of gags such as “Hat’s Incredible.” But this one, like a lot of the kid standards, is a bit too corny for my taste. Personally, I prefer a bit more sophistication in my kid magic shows.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $39.95

Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.