Discover our top tips for hiring a great magician for your next event.
Magic shows are always great fun but, if you aren’t a professional event planner, it can hard to know how to choose a great magician and one that will fit perfectly with your event.
In this article, we’ve listed everything you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
Let’s get started.
1. Who is the Audience?
Let’s start by looking at your guests. The key is to understand how to meet their needs.
Most often, audiences can be broken into three categories:
- Kids
- Families
- Adults
The audience will influence who you hire.
Pro-tip: If in doubt, book a magician for a predominantly adult audience. They will also be able to cater to your younger guests.
Fun-tip: If you have children at home, check out the PartyWizz Home Entertainment Series. PartyWizz magicians Yvan, Carl and Oisin taught some easy tricks kids can learn to do themselves.
2. What Show Format is the Most Suitable?
There are different magic show formats. Each caters to a different type of event.
Close up magic
With close up magic, instead of being on stage, the magician performs to small groups at a time. This is also known as strolling magic, walk around magic, table hopping or mix and mingle magic.
Ideal for:
- wedding receptions
- private parties
- corporate events.
Stage shows
Stage magic is designed to be performed on stage for an audience. However, it can be a “figurative stage”, like a living room and is often called stand-up magic.
For this format, the audience size can vary from ten to a hundred plus people.
This is ideal for
- Kid’s birthdays
- Communion parties
- Private events
- Corporate events
- […]
“Stand” shows
Instead of having a stage or walking around, the magician can perform at a fixed stand, table or in a separate room.
The difference is that people approach the magician to see a “mini-show” on an ad hoc basis.
Ideal for:
- Festivals
- Trade shows.
- Open days
- […]
3. What will the Party Atmosphere Be?
What mood will your guests be in? Will they enjoy a serious performance or perhaps a comedy one?
Event type
This depends on the type of event you’re hosting. Family events will naturally have a different atmosphere to a corporate event.
Decide what the mood of the party will be and use this to inform your decision when hiring a magician.
For example, is a mentalist and mind reading show suitable or would you rather have a comedy magic show?
There is no right or wrong answer. It depends on what you feel would go down best.
Event size
It’s also important to consider how many guests you will have.
For example, if you’re booking a magician for mix and mingle magic, they will on average be able to perform to 100 guests in 2 hours. If you have more guests, consider having a stage show instead or booking an extra magician.
4. Consider the Venue Itself
What’s the layout of the venue (which might be your house)?
Space
Will there be a lot of space or will the audience be tight?
For example, if you’re hiring a magician for a kid’s birthday party, how will the children be seated? Is their enough room on the floor for them?
Set-up
For mix and mingle magic, a magician requires minimal set-up. Often just a table with their additional equipment to return to between performances.
However, the other formats do require a bit more set-up space and time (generally around 15 minutes or more). Make sure this fits in with the flow of your event.
For example, if you’re also booking a band, make sure each act can transition on and off stage easily.
Audio-visual equipment
Does the magician need a speaker? Most magicians have their own sound equipment but it’s just good to know in advance if they need to bring it or not.
If you’re in a venue, it’s worth checking if the room is set-up with audio-visual equipment.
Pro-tip: If you’re not sure whether the magician will need a speaker or not, err on the side of caution. It’s easier to turn off a speaker than to set it up at the last minute.
5. Look for Pictures and Videos
Before booking a magician, it’s nice to see them perform in person! However, this is often not possible.
Photos and videos are your second-best option.
At PartyWizz, you can find pictures and videos of the entertainers on each of their profiles.
6. Look for Testimonials and Reviews
Ideally, you want to get a first-hand referral. Again, this isn’t usually possible.
As a compromise, you’ll want to look for testimonials and reviews.
On PartyWizz, you can see reviews for all the entertainers on their profile page. Also, don’t hesitate to ask around and feedback from someone you know.
As a last resort check for Facebook reviews, google reviews and independent platform reviews. Just keep in mind that these reviews are not always authentic.
7. Check for a Quality Vetting System
If possible, check for a quality vetting system. Whilst not a requirement, it provides additional peace of mind.
At PartyWizz, we have a strict vetting system in order to form partnerships with only top-quality performers.
You can also check if they are a member of a prestigious organisation, such as The Magic Circle in the UK or the Society of Irish Magicians in Ireland.
8. How Long have they been Performing Professionally for?
Make sure the magician you’re booking is experienced. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire a younger entertainer, but make sure they have a few shows under their belt before approaching them.
At PartyWizz, we handpick our entertainers so that we know they are able to consistently deliver what they promise.
9. Are they Available?
Now that you know what you’re looking for, start checking availability.
At PartyWizz, this is done automatically for you. Select a date and location and the system will display the magicians who are available.
If you aren’t based in a region we cover, usually the easiest way is to pick up the phone.
That’s a Wrap
You’re now ready to book a magician.
If you’re based in Ireland and you’re interested in booking a magician, checkout the PartyWizz platform.
We’re proud to be partnering with the best entertainers in every category. The whole process is automated which allows you to make a booking online in seconds.
For more information about hiring a magician, check out our FAQ page. You’ll find everything you need to know there.
If you’re still unsure, don’t hesitate to ask the contact us directly. We’re always happy to help.
