Category Archives: Booking

Music Comedy

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Good comedy acts always have a great appreciation from guests – but musical performers can be even funnier especially when you’re not expecting it to be funny.  Remember Les Dawson who was actually a trained pianist – it was took quite a skill to play the wrong notes to a tune that was familiar.

If you want a comedy evening with a difference then why not book a Music comedy act that will be a talking point for a long time to come. You could be having a private party, product launch, corporate party or any event that would benefit in such an act. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and will make even the dullest party come to life.

Booking is very simple, just find the performer that you like to hire and fill out a booking form along-side. Your chosen comedy act will be in contact with you to arrange your specific requirements soon after. From singing waiters to musical comedy shows, we have them all here at Red Masque.

Contortionists

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Contortionists are an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. They are often part of acrobatics and circus acts and make a great party piece for entertaining friends and guests at an event. Contortionists have unusual natural flexibility which is enhanced through acrobatic training, or they put themselves through intense training to enable them to perform the most mind boggling shows. They can fit into the smallest of spaces or bend in ways that are truly unimaginable until seen with your own eyes.

If you would like to book a contortionist for your event and want to wow you guests with this extraordinary performance then we at Red Masque entertainment directory have the perfect Contortionist for you to book for your party/event. It will guarantee to be a talking point with your guests for weeks to come and the highlight of the event.

All you need to do now is look on the act you require for your up and coming event and fill out an online booking form which will go straight to your favoured act. They will then be in contact with you very soon to arrange dates, times and all requirements.  If you need some help, Red Masque will be happy to answer any questions that may have. We are the leading entertainment directory in the Uk, providing the very best acts and performers to hire for the ultimate party or event.

Click here to book a professional Contortionists from our list of Circus entertainers to hire.

Ensuring the right entertainment

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So, you have been planning your private party for ages and now the moment has come… the big day is now in sight! Of course, you already have an idea about your venue type, colour scheme, decoration and considered the entertainment. Ensuring you have the right entertainment can be the difference between a ‘good’ party and an unforgettable one! It’s important to keep your guests entertained throughout and it’s important you get it right, including picking the right venue to suit your plans.

Whichever entertainment you decide on, you need to make sure your venue can accommodate. Whether you have ideas on a party band, or dance troupe you need to ensure the venue suits the entertainment.

Stage
Some venues will have a stage or something similar, such as a raised part of the room. These are quite useful particularly if you want musicians or entertainment acts to be seen clearly by your guests.

The size of the stage is also important. If you planned on having a dance troop come and perform, you need to make sure the stage will be large enough to accommodate their routine and numbers.

Space
Function bands are always a great form of entertainment as they can work as a brilliant ice breaker and really help to get your guests on their feet and dancing. If you have a function band in mind, you need to ensure not only that there is enough space for the band to perform,but plenty of space for your guests to get up and dance.

Other forms of entertainment such as closeup magicians or caricaturists only need space to move freely around tables, whereas more exotic forms of entertainment such as a fire dancer will need a large area for safety reasons.

Accessibility
Checking that your venue is accessible can sometimes be the make or break for your choice. It’s important your venue can be accessed by all. If you’re having a twelve-piece band but your venue is on the top floor of a building with no lift, it’s certainly not ideal for a band to carry all their instruments up. You need to make sure that any equipment or props your entertainment may need can be easily transported to your venue.

Pirates of the Caribbean themed party

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If you are fans of Captain Jack Sparrow, we thought it might be fun to run through a few pieces of the best party entertainment that are sure to impress at a themed party. Whether it’s for a corporate event or a private party, it’s time to raise the Jolly Roger and look through the spyglass of entertainment on our roster.

Costumed Characters

Of course! The first thing your guests will see upon entering your party are the themed costumed characters meandering amongst your guests. From Jack Sparrow himself to Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, you can rub shoulders with the best of them. Not wanting to be on the side of the goodies? No problem… Captain Barbossa and Davy Jones can be arranged if desired!

Miss Thunderpussy

What sort of Pirates of the Caribbean party would it be without some form of swashbuckling music entertainment? Red Masque can provide a pirate themed entertainment for your event! Miss Thunderpussy has entertained thousands more people . A fab act that combines comedy with wonderful show tunes, she is sure to go down a storm!

Coxtails

“Why is the rum gone?” is perhaps the most famous line from the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. We don’t expect you to be able to enjoy a party without rum and thankfully, you won’t have to if you hire some tremendously talented cocktail shakers! If rums not your thing then that’s just fine – other spirits are available – but personally we think a rum and coconut concoction will certainly fit with the Caribbean theme.

Flight of Fancy

Anybody who has seen Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl will be able to tell you that the curse causes an entire crew of pirates to turn into skeletons at night! Argh! Pay homage to this classic of cinema by booking Flight of Fancy an aerial hoop circus performers that could don full skeleton makeup to spook out the crowd and serve champagne upside down!!

Professionalism is our game

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It’s never an easy thing to organize an event no matter how small the size. The event may be a wedding reception, concert, corporate event, fundraising and the like. You need to entertain the guests if you really want to make them happy at the event. You can’t do it all alone. You need to engage the services of an entertainment directory such as Red Masque.

You can be sure of proper accountability when you engage a reliable entertainment directory. Red Masque will give you accurate details online regarding the entertainment aspect of the event.
There are reasons for engaging an entertainment directory. In the first place, you may not have time to make the right choice when hiring a band or a DJ. We at Red Masque entertainment agency will have the perfect choice for you on our website. We can link you up with the best bands in town. You are sure to find a reliable DJ that can handle your event.

Often at times, some entertainment agencies offer band and DJ services. They do have artists who specialize in different areas of music. Such an agency can offer DJ and band services at affordable price. They also have MC’s that can make people happy at events. All you need is to get in touch with the right agency like Red Masque that can tailor make your special event.

Professionalism is our game and trusted services when you engage with us. Your guests will be thoroughly satisfied with the acts you have chosen. You don’t need to suffer sleepless night once you have one of Red Masques entertainment acts at your corporate event or private party.

Indeed, there’s a lot to gain when you hire from a reputable entertainment directory. You don’t have to be in a hurry when searching for the very best. Now that you have found us we will guarantee that you will not book from anywhere else. Once you have chosen your entertainment you are able to contact direct. You are able to ask the officials some questions, and get it right first time.

To Tap Dance

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Traditional American Tap Dancers

Everyone loves a good tapper; somehow, tap dancing is enjoyable because it is lighthearted alongside the music to which it is performed. From community productions to the big screen, tap dance has captured the hearts of millions of Americans, and this is most evident in the fan base supporting the careers of several influential tappers.

Most are men, with a few exceptions. America’s tapping stars in the golden era of Hollywood enjoyed lengthy careers and continue to be noted today for the fun entertainment they provided. Below are just a few of those who truly reigned as “tap’s tops!”

Fred Astaire
Perhaps there is no other name as synonymous with tap dancing as Fred Astaire. With his countless American films, including those with sidekick Ginger Rogers, Fred revolutionized the tap world’s presence in movies. Many people recall his partnership with Ginger Rogers not only for the beautiful ballroom dances, but also for the tap dances, such as Let Yourself Go. His killer combination of a handsome face and a suave style, paired with his peppy dance numbers made him one of Hollywood’s most cherished musical stars.

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson
Before he hung out with Shirley Temple both onscreen and off, Bill Robinson could be found in numerous theater productions. He is known for re-igniting the tap craze during the 20th century, and bringing the genre from popular to the elite art level. He often challenged competitors in tap competitions, almost always coming out as the victor. He was also the choreographer of the now infamous stair dance found in the movie The Little Colonel. He inspired and coached Shirley Temple, one of Hollywood’s littlest tap dancers, and she revealed in her autobiography how Bill was like an uncle to her, mentoring her both in dance and in life.

Sandman Sims
Another famous tapper from the golden era of Hollywood, he became notorious for his “sand dancing,” which involved tap dancing in a sandbox. He used to travel across the nation, challenging competitive tap dancers, and he rarely (if ever) lost a dance-off. He is regarded as one of the most creative and innovative tappers of his generation, and will always be known as a top tapper who never conformed to otherwise traditional rules of the dance.

The Christmas Song that wasn’t

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If you can recall the very first lyrics to Jingle Bells sound eminently Christmassy; “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, over the hills we go, laughing all the way…” Horses aren’t really associated with Christmas and although snow certainly is, there’s not really anything else to link the song to everybody’s favourite Christmas holiday entertainment song. The reason for that? It isn’t a Christmas song.

You might think of Jingle Bells being a Christmas classics, it isn’t actually a Christmas song! Read on to find out more to the history of this festive tune. Or not-festive tune as the case may be.

The song we sing today was written by a man named James Lord Pierpont in or around 1850. Nobody is exactly sure of the precise time at which it was written or indeed, where. What we do know is that Pierpont was an American and although he hailed from Medford in Massachusetts, he only published the song when living in Savannah, Georgia. The only reason that this is of importance is that both towns lay claim to being the birthplace of Jingle Bells.

You see, although we only ever sing the first verse and chorus, there are many more lyrics to Jingle Bells that none of us really know. Some believe that the song was written for children to sing to the congregation at Sunday School. The verses none of us know go in a pretty intriguing direction with references to the sleigh crashing, a race with another sleigh owner and picking up women: “Now the ground is white, go it while you’re young, take the girls tonight, and sing this sleighing song. Would children sing that? Probably not, though one could easily argue for the innocence of youth.

Others believe that Jingle Bells is actually a drinking song. Historians are aware that it was a hugely popular song to sing at private parties, with guests ‘jingling’ the ice cubes in their glasses as they sang. Jingle all the way indeed! So which holiday is it about? If we go back to what we’ve previously written, the clue might be found in the history of Medford, Massachusetts. Back in the 1840s and 1850s, the Medford Sleigh Races were a hugely popular event with townsfolk cheering on the sleighs as they tore around the town. But they didn’t take place in December! They actually took place during Thanksgiving, which makes Pierpont’s classic ballad a song for the holidays, just not the one we all thought!

Don’t hire the same old stuff

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We at Red Masque have the best unique artists to hire out for your special event; we have below suggested some great things to consider. Gone are the days when when entertainment used to be a singer, magician or a bad comedian. There is alot of exciting and different entertainment available now which is unique and very clever. Here is just the tip of the iceberg for a suggestions. If you look on Red Masque Directory you will find a vast array of great entertainment for hire which will suit any event.

If you do decide for your private party that you are going to travel into town and visit some extravagant wine bars, why not hire a limo and be treated like a star all night too! You could include some true star quality and hire your own Paparazzi photographers to follow you wherever you go – you’ll be guaranteed to attract plenty of attention and have some fabulous shots of your night to treasure forever!

If you think that your party group are the outdoors type, then have you considered organise some giant games to play outside. Another great idea is circus training! Your party can learn a range of amazing circus tricks taught by professionals and come away from the party with a skill to enjoy and show-off for life. These artists are so much fun and guaranteed to thrill all your guests.
How about a Murder Mystery Night? Mingle your guests with brilliant characters and watch a murder unfold before your eyes leaving the guests as detectives trying to found out “who dunnit”! It’s a superbly thrilling evening where you learn who to trust and who not to trust while you work out who committed the terrible crime but beware of twists in the tale….!

Alternatively, you could hire some themed dance acts to really get all your guests in the spirit at they dance the night away in their themed dress. Don’t forget to include some suitable dance entertainment such as some Burlesque dancers which will be very entertaining for both sexes. There are a whole host of entertainment to book, just glance through all of our entertainment for hire to give you some more ideas.

Make it different and your guests will be amazed!

Enjoy your party without having to host

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Organising a party can be stressful enough, then if you have to play host, you don’t really get to enjoy it.

There are a whole host of staff that you could hire for your event from Red Masque Directory that will make any event you had in mind run smoothly and add a bit of class, to really make you relax and enjoy the event that you have organised.

Good caterers make it look easy whilst all your guests are enjoying themselves the champagne keeps flowing. Finger food is always available and most importantly at the end of your event everything is clean and tidy for you.

Cocktail bartenders are also a must to have at events. Charming, dressed to impress, whichever way you would like your bartender to be we think we have just about every cocktail bartender advertised on our Red Masque directory.

Canapé girls can be used for Adult themed evenings, family entertainment and children’s parties so they are not stereotyped to just one event. Their colourful costumes and special props means they will adapt to any event very well.

Party butlers are probably for the ladies where they could be serving champagne naked from the waist up or leaving little to the imagination wearing just an apron for modesty. Now that ladies would be a great addition to a Hen party!!

Professional butlers can be hired also for very grand corporate event entertainment where professionalism will be shown at all times, it’s just up to you what sort of butler you require.

Promotional staff and you have a launch party to organise. You could have a gym opening and you could hire a team of fitness coaches are motivating your guests. Or how about a fashion show where a team of catwalk models could be just the thing to make your evening a success!!

Hiring can take alot of stress away, why shouldn’t you enjoy your party that you’ve organised? Let you and your guests remember what a great time you’ve all had and not you remembering how rushed off your feet you were!!

Book a live function band

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Nothing gets guests excited like a live music performance as it’s far more interesting & engaging than a DJ or background music. You’ll need to hire a band to suit to the occasion, your guests and the type of atmosphere you’re looking for.

One of the simplest and easiest types of party to organise is a venue or marquee with a hired live band.

Popular types of party band include tribute bands, rock and pop function bands, or for an older audience try Swing and Jive or Rock n’ Roll.

Private parties based around a live band, especially a lively band, are likely to be quite loud so consider how many elderly guests you might have. Venues with sound limiters can be a real pain so before you hand over any money, make sure the venue you choose doesn’t have a limiter fitted (or if it does, that the threshold is set higher than 95dB). Also, make sure there is a dance floor and if at all possible, try to avoid venues where the bar is in a different room to the dancing as this can split guests and leave you with a less party atmosphere.

Good quality function bands will provide all of the equipment you’ll need, so all you need to do is ensure they have enough space and some light refreshments. Expect to pay upwards of £1000/£1400 for a really good 4-5-piece band.

Any private hire venue with a cool bar and space to dance would be suitable, but bear in mind parking and accommodation for those guests traveling beyond a taxi ride.

For most private parties a really early arrival is not necessary so if you ask the band to arrive around 6pm they should be set up, sound checked & ready for guests to arrive by 7.30pm – 8pm. Most function bands will play 2 x 60 minute performances, and we suggest the first to start no earlier than 9pm so guests have time to get a drink and have a chat before the music starts.