Ali Cook – Favourite Things

Ali Cook is a magician, comedian, actor and historian of deception. He has written and starred in seven of his own comedy and Magic series for Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky1. His Channel 4 Series Dirty Tricks was nominated for a British Comedy Award. Cook also wrote and acted in the short film The Cunning Man, winner of the Arri Alexa short film competition which was long-listed for a BAFTA. His latest series, Ragdoll, premiered on Alibi in December 2021.

These are a few of Ali Cook’s favourite things…

Book Bar in Finsbury Park

I’m feeling very North London this morning. My daughter is in a pottery class, and I’m waiting next door in a cafe “book club”, reading about trauma and mindfulness. As much as all this pretension irritates me, I’m also an absolute sucker for it. I’m in BookBar, a cafe with tons of books on the shelves which you can read at your leisure. My two favourite things – books and coffee. The coffee is pretentious, but I don’t care. All that matters is volume. The staff are also super friendly and knowledgeable. When I leave BookBar, I feel more educated and slightly wired (it’s very strong coffee).

International Magic Shop

When I was a boy, I received a book called The Pocket Book of Magic by Peter Eldin. On the back page, there was a shop of magic dealers. I started mail ordering from the International Magic Shop on Clerkenwell Road and have done ever since. My first order was Indian cups that produced full jugs of water from nowhere and How To Swallow Razor Blades (which they happily sold to a twelve-year-old!) 

Years later, I entered this creepy, mysterious building that’s lost in a time warp. It’s like something straight out of a Blumhouse horror. It’s decorated in dark, red paint masquerading as a joke shop-selling plastic vomit, eggs that fart and Halloween masks that look like props from The Wicker Man. But when you get to the counter, you discover they’re the supplier of some of the greatest magic tricks available on the planet – especially their collection of hardcore sleight of handbooks. I’d recommend The Complete Works of Derek Dingle. Dingle was one of the greatest sleights of hand artists that ever lived.

The Fife Arms in Braemar, Aberdeenshire

Lost in the middle of the beautiful Scottish Highlands is this boutique hotel owned by art collectors Iwan Wirth and Manuela Wirth. They totally gutted this beautiful building and lovingly restored it, decorating it with famous artwork from around the world. When you stay there, it feels part art gallery meets part haunted Hammer House of Horror and yet totally cosy when you’re snuggled up next to one of the large open fires.

Norse Projects

I’m obsessed with outdoor clothing and camping equipment – nothing quite gets me excited like a torch that doubles as a tent light and a coat hanger – even though I never go camping! However, I do like to go walking in barren landscapes (see Fife Arms above) especially after bad stand-up gigs. There’s something about open landscapes that puts my self-pity into perspective. And I like to make sure that I look stylish whilst walking in the middle of nowhere, where no one will see me. No one makes outdoor jackets, hats and chinos quite like Norse Projects.

Tally Ho Fan Back Playing Cards Blue

Every magician does card tricks. You can do close up, stand up and stage routines with only your fifty-two assistants that fit easily in your jeans pocket. All magicians know that not all playing cards are made equally. For me, the best to handle are Tally Ho. The cards fan like a dream, and not only that, they are the preferred choice of the sleight of hand master Dai Vernon. As a kid, he was my idol.

Enjoyed Ali Cook’s favourites? Explore last week’s Favourite Things here.