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Think a Drink by Alan Bursky_x000D_
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A break in my schedule has allowed me to catch up with some reading and research and I would like to draw your attention to an item that has particularly caught my attention. It seems I always get nice responses from my readers when I cast my somewhat jaundiced eyes over the latest releases to the magic community and this is a trick I feel rather strongly about._x000D_

There are a handful of tricks that are guaranteed to be audience favorites due to their very nature. These effects become classics and are generally performed by a great many performers. Sometimes you get a classic trick that is not often seen performed live by magicians and its impact is better classified in the ‘legendary’ category. Think-A- Drink is one such effect. I have only seen the effect performed once when Earl Nelson, presented his version of Alan Wakeling’s Bar Act. It totally knocked me out.

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There are more versions and names for this effect than you can shake a martini at, but I will continue to refer to it in this brief article as Think-A-Drink which was the title given to it by the man who was so identified with it that it became part of his name—Charles “Think-A-Drink Hoffman. While Hoffman didn’t invent the trick he certainly perfected it to the degree that he definitively came to ‘own’ it in a performing sense. However I personally rather like the title that French magician Ryss gave the effect, ‘Le Barman de Satan!”

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Billy McComb always used to say that when a magician was looking for a signature piece of magic to perform he would do well to focus on tricks that are complicated to master and rather painstaking to perform and you would find a lot fewer performers presenting the effect in public. Think-A-Drink certainly comes into this category. If you are looking for a classic piece of magic that will stick in an audience’s mind then this trick comes high on any objective list you could make, just ask Steve Cohen how he feels about it. Even better Think-A-Drink has a plotline that can be summed up in a sentence. “The magician poured out all kinds of drinks from a single container—and we even got to drink them!” The best tricks are the ones that can be summed up this easily.

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An excellent source book of information was just published that gathers together most of the important aspects of this routine. The book is called ‘Alan Bursky Presents Think-A-Drink,’ and it contains eleven previously published routines, some fascinating articles and personal memoirs concerning this particular effect. The book has been meticulously researched and it does a wonderful job of making its information relevant and useful to any contemporary magician.

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On a very practical level the final chapter detailing the various resources needed to perform the mechanics of the trick is probably worth the price of the book if you decide to add the trick to your repetoire. If you purchase this book and read it intelligently you can add the Think-A-Drink to your show, which is quite something to say about a trick that has made as many reputations as this one. I am equally sure there are many magical historians and hobbyists who will be excited to read the book just to add to their knowledge about this somewhat forgotten classic.

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The book is published in an electronic edition contained on a digital disc that can be read in a very effective PDF format on your computer. The design and graphics in the book are the work of co-publisher Steve Mitchell and coupled with the classic magic artwork they make the book a delightful read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to share my opinion with you. I hope there are more volumes in this series to be released.

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Table of Contents

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Introduction: Alan Bursky 4_x000D_
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Foreword: Jim Steinmeyer 6_x000D_
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Charles Hoffman: Alton Sharpe 8_x000D_
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Levit Liquido: Charles Hoffman 11_x000D_
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Liquid Magic: “Think-A-Drink” Hoffman: Gary R. Brown 13_x000D_
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A BACKSTAGE ENCOUNTER: Sid Fleischman 16_x000D_
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Charles “Think-A-Drink” Hoffman: Alton Sharpe 16_x000D_
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From Keg to Kettle: Jay Palmer 19_x000D_
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Think A Drink Hoffman: Bev Bergeron 29_x000D_
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More Magical Mysteries: David Devant 33_x000D_
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The Accommodating Kettle: Jim Steinmeyer 35_x000D_
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Martineau’s Six Drink Cocktail Shaker! 39_x000D_
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Water To Wine And Beer: “Think-A-Drink” Hoffman 43_x000D_
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Drinks From Pitchers: Jay Palmer_x000D_
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Section One: Chevalier Ernest Thorn 45_x000D_
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Section Two: Mademoiselle Margo 48_x000D_
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Section Three: Ryss—The Magic Barman 50_x000D_
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Correction Mr. Palmer, Please: Burling Hull 52_x000D_
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Section Four: Alvata 55_x000D_
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Section Five: Merv Taylor 57_x000D_
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Any Drink Called For: Caryl S. Fleming Version 59_x000D_
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A Complete Bar Act!!!: Thayer Studios 63_x000D_
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Forty Drinks Out Of One Bottle: Burling Hull 68_x000D_
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Resources 74_x000D_
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Acknowledgements 75_x000D_

PLEASE NOTE: This item is a digital download ,Gimmick not included

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