Think-A-Drink

[notsoltd]

I remember the idea of a tea kettle or something similar where the audience is able to name drinks and the pot is magically able to pour whatever is requested. I'm not really interested in purchasing a marketed version of this effect (if that's even a thing), but I'm looking for books and resources where versions of this might be written up that I can draw from. Any help would be much appreciated. <3

 

[010rusty]

I remember the idea of a tea kettle or something similar where the audience is able to name drinks and the pot is magically able to pour whatever is requested. I'm not really interested in purchasing a marketed version of this effect (if that's even a thing), but I'm looking for books and resources where versions of this might be written up that I can draw from. Any help would be much appreciated. <3

I believe You are thinking about a plot called "any drink I want". Dan Harlan teaches his alcoholic version in Scott Alexander and Dan Harlan Holiday Special 4 LIVE (http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/7643)

 

[notsoltd]

I believe You are thinking about a plot called "any drink I want". Dan Harlan teaches his alcoholic version in Scott Alexander and Dan Harlan Holiday Special 4 LIVE (http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/7643)

Appreciate the recommendation, I'll definitely look into this as I'm looking for as many resources on this topic as I can find. I'd really like to find older books where this or a version of it might be written up.

 

[Josh Burch]

There's another more old fashioned version taught in the magic of Alan Wakeling.

Jim Steinmeyer has his Think a Drink which was published in a few different places. It does require an apparatus of sorts but it is not alcoholic. I'm pretty sure you can find it in the Conjurers anthology.

 

[notsoltd]

There's another more old fashioned version taught in the magic of Alan Wakeling.

Jim Steinmeyer has his Think a Drink which was published in a few different places. It does require an apparatus of sorts but it is not alcoholic. I'm pretty sure you can find it in the Conjurers anthology.

I did find Jim Steinmeyer's, it's also sold by itself with all the apparatus included but the ONLY problem I have with it is that it's a milk carton and I really want the look of a tea kettle or a nicer looking pitcher. I'm going to look into the Magic of Alan Wakeling.

I think I've found that the original was by David Devant and I actually happen to have a PDF of Our Magic on my phone. He does talk about it but it's a rather vague description of the workings. It would take some serious craftsmanship to make the tea kettle just from his descriptions.

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[RealityOne]

You have the recommendations you need already:

Alan Wakeling's Bar Act in Jim Steinmeyer's book The Magic of Alan Wakeling
Jim Steinmeyer's Hospitality in his book Modern Art and Other Mysteries
Jim Steinmeyer's Accommodating Teakettle in his book Conjuring Anthology
Dan Harlan's Any Drink I Want routine that was in his Penguin lecture

I've been working on this routine for a year or so and would be glad to share ideas with you. Each of the above routines has it benefits and drawbacks. It is hard to say a lot about this in an open forum, but I'd be glad to discuss further in PMs.

 

[Josh Burch]

I did find Jim Steinmeyer's, it's also sold by itself with all the apparatus included but the ONLY problem I have with it is that it's a milk carton and I really want the look of a tea kettle or a nicer looking pitcher. I'm going to look into the Magic of Alan Wakeling.

I think I've found that the original was by David Devant and I actually happen to have a PDF of Our Magic on my phone. He does talk about it but it's a rather vague description of the workings. It would take some serious craftsmanship to make the tea kettle just from his descriptions.

Thanks for all the help guys!

You do't have to use a carton, it just allows for a clean ending where you tear it up. For Harlan's and Steinmeyer's you can use a tea kettle instead of a flask or carton. I need to look at the Wakeling one, I don't think you can use a kettle with it.

 

[RealityOne]

You do't have to use a carton, it just allows for a clean ending where you tear it up. For Harlan's and Steinmeyer's you can use a tea kettle instead of a flask or carton. I need to look at the Wakeling one, I don't think you can use a kettle with it.

Wakeling's uses a martini shaker and a bar stand. Both are integral to the effect. Wakeling's has a good presentation in that it is a bar routine rather than an any drink called for routine. Unfortunately, a lot of the drinks are dated. Hospitality has a downside in that you don't pass out all of the drinks - but that could be worked around. Nonetheless, I like the presentation and the justification for the props. The Accomadating Teakettle has an easy-to-make-at-home design and has a nice ending pouring a hot cup of coffee (you could do chocolate milk if you wanted instead of coffee). That one also has a great story patter that is used as the basis for pouring different drinks (similar to hospitality). Dan's drinks are really good (I haven't tried all of them) and I like his handling and his pesentation of the effect. I've also found other drinks that you can do both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

As I said, my routine will be a combination. Instead of Wakeling's shaker and bar, I'll use an old china teapot as the Accomadating Tea Kettle and a tray with a variety of glasses. The drinks will be a combination of Dan's and my own. The presentation woud be about what would happen when her friends would come over to play cards with the final drink being a cup of hot tea -- just in case anyone's husband showed up and asked what was in the teapot. I'm still playing with whether it is like Wakeman's bar routine and Steinmeyer's routines (a variety of drinks are poured based on the magician's choice or the story), like "think a drink" from Think-A-Drink Hoffman and Steve Cohen, or "any drink called for" -- where someone names a drink and you pour it or like Dan's "any drink I want." I suspect it will be a combination of the various presentations.

 

[Justin.Morris]

I had the opportunity to see Steve Cohen perform his version in NY, and it was so good. I thought I knew his method, but then my drink was one of the chosen. I wrote down "Double Double". He held up the cared and asked who wrote it. I raised my hand and he asked what it was. I said a coffee with two creams and two sugars. Then he poured it out and had it tasted. Brilliant.

 

[notsoltd]

You have the recommendations you need already:

Alan Wakeling's Bar Act in Jim Steinmeyer's book The Magic of Alan Wakeling
Jim Steinmeyer's Hospitality in his book Modern Art and Other Mysteries
Jim Steinmeyer's Accommodating Teakettle in his book Conjuring Anthology
Dan Harlan's Any Drink I Want routine that was in his Penguin lecture

I believe You are thinking about a plot called "any drink I want". Dan Harlan teaches his alcoholic version in Scott Alexander and Dan Harlan Holiday Special 4 LIVE (http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/7643)

I'd just like to verify which Dan Harlan Live DVD has it - I own his first penguin live lecture and I don't remember it being on there and the routine is never mentioned in any of the promo videos for Live 1, Live 2 OR the Holiday Special. I just want to be sure I buy the right one.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I'd just like to verify which Dan Harlan Live DVD has it - I own his first penguin live lecture and I don't remember it being on there and the routine is never mentioned in any of the promo videos for Live 1, Live 2 OR the Holiday Special. I just want to be sure I buy the right one.

It's the fourth Scott Alexander penguin lecture that has Harlan in it as well.

 

[notsoltd]

It's the fourth Scott Alexander penguin lecture that has Harlan in it as well.

Thank you!

I had the opportunity to see Steve Cohen perform his version in NY, and it was so good. I thought I knew his method, but then my drink was one of the chosen. I wrote down "Double Double". He held up the cared and asked who wrote it. I raised my hand and he asked what it was. I said a coffee with two creams and two sugars. Then he poured it out and had it tasted. Brilliant.

I'm a little bit super jealous lol that sounds like real magic.

You do't have to use a carton, it just allows for a clean ending where you tear it up. For Harlan's and Steinmeyer's you can use a tea kettle instead of a flask or carton. I need to look at the Wakeling one, I don't think you can use a kettle with it.

Very interesting. I'm going to look into Harlan's first, probably try to pick up the books soon after.

I've been working on this routine for a year or so and would be glad to share ideas with you. Each of the above routines has it benefits and drawbacks. It is hard to say a lot about this in an open forum, but I'd be glad to discuss further in PMs.

I'd love to talk ideas. I'll probably reach out to you once I learn one or two of these methods and somewhat know what I'm talking about when it comes to this routine lol I honestly have no idea how I'm going to present it yet either, I just know it's a damn beautiful routine and I have to find a way to perform it.