Category Archives: Hiring

How to attract more visitors to your event

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One of the smartest ways to attract visitors in a trade show and convert them from prospects to sales and, consequently, loyal followers, is to have a magician on your stand! In fact, it has been evidenced that live entertainment and demonstrations comprise a powerful and highly effective marketing tool that help engage visitors in an exhibition hall. That aside, Magicians that perform a bespoke presentation can successfully communicate your brand’s messages and goals in the most fun, interactive, and engaging way. Ideal when product recognition and identification is the need!

What do you want when participating in a trade show or exhibition? Make the difference. Stand out from your competitors. Let the world know of your amazing product or service. Boost your sales. Inform. The list of objectives could be long, but bottom line, you want recognition and an unbeatable way people will remember you by. Then, the road is open for more aggressive marketing; marketing that will increase your revenue and help you create a database of loyal clients, who will refer you to others. Trade Show Magicians can achieve exactly that for you. It really is amazing how much you can accomplish with just a few inches of space on the edge of your stand!

In a nutshell, with Magicians you can:

  • Attract three times more people to your stand.
  • Keep your prospects warm when your sales team is busy, minimising the number of lost leads.
  • Create brand awareness and promote your corporate image.
  • Entertain your existing clients.

Engage and Inform prospects in a fun way that doesn’t feel like a struggle to promote your company and make a sale.

Boost your sales (guaranteed)

To encourage mingling, start the party off with some exciting party entertainment. This is a particularly good time to break the ice in those awkward moments when you have only just met other guests and family for the first time. Chosen Events can supply you with something completely unexpected, such as a magician, fortune teller, celebrity lookalikes, or a caricaturist. Guests will be drawn together to discuss what is going on, which will get them interacting with each other.

If you choose caricaturists, it also creates the opportunity to send your guests home with a truly unique party favour.

Whether you are planning a Private Party, Wedding, Prom, Bar Mitzvah, or Corporate Event, you can’t go wrong by hiring a live band. While it’s true that most guests are content with a party DJ, anyone who has ever attended a party with a live band will tell you that it made the night so much better. In fact, it is not unusual for guests or even the person the party is honouring to admit that a live band is what made the night truly unforgettable.

After all, live party bands will get your guests excited and pumped up. While not everyone likes to dance, even the most ardent anti dancer won’t be able to stop themselves when a great live band is performing classic and modern party songs.

Have some BBQ fun

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The sun is shining; the radio is turned up to full volume and the smell of BBQ’s start to fill the summer air.

The BBQ Party season has started. That’s when you know it’s time to bring out the BBQ and host your own party. But why not make your BBQ party unique and fun by incorporating some BBQ Party Ideas in the form of entertainment and games throughout the day and evening.

Underneath are a few simple ideas to make your BBQ party the highlight of the summer.

BBQ Party Entertainment 

 BBQ Party Games

Become a child again at your BBQ party by hiring some large outdoor games such as giant jenga, archery, giant connect 4 and even twister. This will keep your guests entertained throughout the BBQ party and will give them a chance to mix and mingle as well. Giant games are such an easy and effective style of entertainment that will definitely make your BBQ party the talk of the street. Other BBQ Party ideas could include bouncy castles, rodeo, or even bubble machines.

BBQ Drinks Delight

Beverages at a BBQ party are of high importance. Here are some BBQ party ideas to make your catering that little something different. To save you money and time ask your guests to bring their own drink. Or try out the new craze sweeping across the nation relating to beverage catering at BBQ parties, your very own Cocktail artist and bar. Hire a cocktail artist to greet your guests with some freshly made cocktails at your BBQ party. You could even name the cocktails to fit in with your summer BBQ. Trust me when I say this… you and your guests will love sipping on a cold cocktail in the warm sunshine.

BBQ Party Music

Every BBQ party needs music. But sometimes a playlist being played on a MP3 player can be quite monotonous and played out. So why not put that extra spark (pun intended) into your BBQ party and hire a musician or a DJ. A classical guitarist would create the perfect atmosphere at your BBQ party and give it that extra wow factor… seriously, how many BBQ’s have you been to with a professional guitarist playing just for you. Not many, so get on it. Also hire a local DJ to provide the evening music, this gives you the chance to mingle with your guests knowing that the music is in safe hands.

 BBQ Party Ideas – Extra Tips

. Send invites 2 weeks before the BBQ party
. Make a note of any special dietary requirements
. Ensure you have all necessary equipment (plates, cups, cutlery, BBQ!!)
. Purchase the food the day before the BBQ party and prep as much as you can.
. Overall, have fun, smile and enjoy your party!

So kick off the summer season in style with a fun and lively BBQ party. Take some inspiration from our BBQ Party Ideas and enjoy the long evenings with your closest friends and family. Summer won’t last forever so if you’re going to have a BBQ party, have it in style. 

Engagement party ideas

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Your journey has now begun and you are both on your way to being Mr & Mrs. but before you walk down the aisle or have that romantic first dance, you need to have the ever so popular engagement party! The engagement party is the time to get all your friends and family together to celebrate the brilliant news. Many questions surround engagement parties such as who organises the party, how close after the engagement should the party be, who should we invite etc. Well, here are some ideas…

Set the date- This is the most popular question… When is the right time for an engagement party? Well firstly, when you are engaged is a good start, but I figure you already know that! So the most popular time frame for an engagement party is within the first 4 months of your engagement. This is because there will still be such excitement and this is the calm before the storm of wedding planning. Go show off that new engagement ring, dance together as an engaged couple and enjoy the planning of the engagement party.

The Guest List- Firstly, do not invite guests to the engagement party who will not be invited to your wedding. This has happened before and can be quite rude. So make sure that the guests at your party will also be partying with you on your wedding day. The guest list can be as small or big as you like. Many future brides and grooms prefer for the engagement party just to be close family and the full bridal party. Others want all their loved ones there, which can be very fun as you can then decide who is going to be that crazy friend at the wedding, which uncle will do the embarrassing dance first and which mum will cry first… yes these are some of the things to look forward to.
Invites- State clearly that is an engagement party, and not your wedding! You would be surprised at how often this happens. Also tell your guests the venue, time and dress code if applicable. Your engagement invites should represent what you and your fiancé are like as a couple so if you are having a formal engagement party, your invites should portray this. But if it is non-formal and more of a knees up then your invites do not have to be as formal. I know I know, but it is the small detail which makes all the difference!
Decorations- This is the part you can have loads of fun with. You could go and buy some engagement banners and balloons and have the balloons filled with helium for table centre pieces. These can be found very easily from any party store. You could also print out loads of photos of you and your fiancé from the day you met to the present day and place them around the room, your guests will love looking at these and it will bring back some beautiful memories. You could choose a theme for your engagement party and play on this. Even get your guests to dress up so your party really will be unique.
Entertainment- Your engagement party is overall the first steps towards your wedding and therefore it is a reflection of your wedding day. Your entertainment can be kept simple with a DJ and a few fun family games or you could go all out and hire a live band. Live bands are a great source of entertainment at an engagement party as they can talk to the crowd and really get them involved. You could also find some unique entertainment ideas such as a fun casino, caricature artist, a magician and even hire out a photo booth. The world is your oyster when it comes to your engagement party entertainment.
Overall just enjoy it all. This is you and your fiancés first official party as an engaged couple and that is all that matters. It is all about celebrating this massive milestone in each other’s lives and also spending it with your friends and family.

Non-refundable deposits

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When you enter into a contract with your entertainment provider, whether it’s a wedding band, a magician or a DJ, you normally will be expected to provide some kind of non-refundable deposit along with your signature to secure the date. The amount may vary, but a 50% deposit is fairly common. 

If you’re a bride, or just planning a party and this is first time you’ve ever bought entertainment services, this can be a scary thing. What if the event gets cancelled? What if someone dies the week before? What if it rains on our outdoor beach birthday party? Do I get my deposit back?

Of course the answer will depend on the wording of the deposit clause in the contract, but most likely if the event is cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances; you will likely be out your deposit. But let’s dig deeper.

It’s easier for people to understand why a caterer or even a venue would request a deposit. They have to buy food or they are reserving the space exclusively for you and must turn down other business. But a musician isn’t purchasing any perishables, right? Well, not exactly. The busy nights for any event entertainer are Saturdays, followed closely by Fridays. There are only 52 Saturdays in a year and each one represents an opportunity cost. If for example a family tragedy occurs 2 days before your graduation party, the band still needs to be compensated for that Saturday night that they committed to your party. It is entirely possible that they have turned down other clients to commit to your party. While it’s very sad that a member of family decided to pass two days before your big event, this is not the fault of your hired act.

What can you do if the unforeseen happens? The first thing is to have a conversation with your hired entertainment. While they may be under no obligation to reschedule, many will try to work with you and apply part or all of your deposit to another date. The flexibility they have will depend on how in demand they are, how full their calendar is and on what day of the week you want your new date. You certainly can’t expect them to bump another client because you need to reschedule. And nor can you expect them to give you another Saturday night on the busiest part of wedding season. But maybe they’re willing to apply all (or some) of your deposit to a Tuesday night, or an off-season Friday night. 

This is a conversation you can have with your entertainer BEFORE signing the contract. Ask the “what if” scenarios. Just understand that if this conversation drags out too long, your vendor may start to question your commitment to the date.

Another option is to take out Event Cancellation Insurance for your date. 

What is typically covered by event cancellation insurance?
Fire, earthquakes, flooding, blizzards, hurricanes, terrorism, headline entertainers or speaker cancellation, outbreak of disease. 

Event cancellation insurance probably won’t cover things like lack of ticket sales, or the time spent planning the event.

A love for Puppets

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British children’s television in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s made stars of some puppets, from the marionettes ‘Muffin the Mule’, ‘Andy Pandy’, ‘Bill and Ben’, ‘Lady Penelope’, ‘Parker’, ‘Troy Tempest’ and ‘Captain Scarlet’ to the glove puppets ‘Sooty and Sweep’ and ‘Basil Brush’ as well as the American sock puppet ‘Lamb Chop’ (who was still operated by hand). The Pipkins’ ‘Hartley Hare’ was a rod puppet and Jim Henson created many different types of puppets for ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Muppets’ which British audiences loved.

Britain’s first purpose-built puppet theatre, The Harlequin Theatre, was opened by Eric Bramall at Rhos-on-Sea, North Wales in 1958, followed by John Wright’s Little Angel Theatre in Islington in 1961, Ray and Joan DaSilva’s Norwich Puppet Theatre in 1980, Gren and Juliet Middleton’s Puppet Theatre Barge on the Regent’s Canal in 1982, and The Biggar Puppet Theatre, opened near Edinburgh by The Purves Puppets in 1986. Artist and Illustrator Mary Shillabeer created various full-scale marionette shows in the 1970s and 1980s, some of which appeared during the Edinburgh Festival, including ‘Peter and the Wolf’, ‘Boite a Jou-Jou’ (The Toy Box) and ‘Babar the Elephant’.

‘Spitting Image’ puppets, created for television in the 1980s by Peter Fluck and Roger Law, renewed the 18th-century tradition of satirical puppetry at a time when many innovative British touring puppet show companies were established, and theatre companies such as Forkbeard Fantasy began using large scale puppetry in their work.

Muffin the Mule, the first marionette to become a television star, is seen here with his presenter Annette Mills.

Muffin was carved in 1934 by Fred Tickner, a famous maker of Punch and Judy puppets, for Ann Hogarth and her husband Jan Bussell, who formed The Hogarth Puppets in 1932. For their show they wanted a comic-looking mule with a big head that could kick his back legs at a marionette clown.

When television started again after the war in 1946, Annette Mills – sister of the actor John Mills – asked the Hogarth’s if they would make some puppets to go with her songs for the programme ‘For the Children’. The Hogarth’s suggested she used some of their puppets instead, so she wrote new songs to go with the puppets she chose – the mule and clown – which she called Muffin and Crumpet.

Muffin was later joined by other marionettes including Mr Peregrine Esquire, Louise the Lamb and Oswald the Ostrich. The act consisted of Annette Mills talking to Muffin and singing songs at the grand piano while he and his friends clattered around on its lid. His operator, Ann Hogarth, also stood there, hidden by a partition.

A few dedicated puppet theatres survive in Britain, often in the face of financial indifference from local authorities, but puppetry in 21st-century Britain is also finding new audiences with companies and productions incorporating puppetry into their work, and of course the beloved ‘Punch and Judy’ is still as popular today as ever for both young and older generations.

Magical mystery evening…

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Are you hoping to have a ‘magical event’ that is totally spellbinding which will have all your guests sitting on the end of their seats? Well, why not hire a group of amazing acts that can transform your dull usual entertainment into something spectacular. Why not hire an up-to-the minute illusionist that is very clever, having everyone trying to guess how on earth he managed to fool you before your very eyes. An escapologist is another act that is a race against time for him/her to get out of a life or death situation, or a contortionist that would squeeze into the tightest of spaces making it look so very easy but at the same time so mesmerising to watch.

You could be having a corporate affair and want some party entertainment which is a ‘bit out there’ which will be a talking point for months to come. Mind readers are always very fascinating, picking a member of the crowd and asking to write or draw something only for the Mind reader to copy exactly what they have done. 

Another great act is a hypnotist – you can hire hypnotists for medical reasons or they can be booked for entertaining. They can put a group of people together and hypnotise them before hand, every-time the hypnotist says a certain word somebody does something completely out of the ordinary which can be very entertaining for you – slightly embarrassing for them!

Trying to work out the future is something that ‘gifted’ people have been doing for centuries, whether it’s reading somebody’s palm, Crystal ball reading, or reading cards.  Each have their own unique way of interpreting what the future may hold but nonetheless all very enchanting and mysterious. Whether or not you believe in these fortune tellers they are always very welcome at an event or party.

You could be having a charity event where a Palmist, Crystal ball reader or Tarot card reader would raise lots of money with your paying guests.  Or you could be having a fete where acts such as these would draw a crowd.

You can be sure that all the acts you see advertised are professional in what they do and are the best of the best.  Our Red Masque entertainment directory will give you a brief insight into each act and then it is up to you to decide which you would like. Once you have decided you are able to fill out an online form which will go straight to your act, they will be in contact to discuss dates and services.

Ice and Lights; the perfect combination…

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Ice sculptures promote class and beauty so whatever your event you will be sure that these sculptures will cry out just that. An intricate Ice Sculpture can be extremely intriguing and also very beautiful. You may want to make a dramatic statement for your event and an Ice Sculpture would be the very thing. From centre pieces on dining tables, two sculptures depicting two lovers entwined on your very special Wedding day.

Your event wouldn’t be any sort of event if it doesn’t have the right lighting; it can bring your special event to life and create the atmosphere that you are hoping for.  You may have a large event where dramatic lighting is needed for a theatrical performance or just a small affair where a few lights would give that intimate feeling of warm and very cosy.  Whatever your event private or corporate we are sure we have the perfect lighting advertised within our Red Masque directory.

You can never be 100% sure of the British weather and hiring a Marquee is a smart if not a must if you are having an event outside or indeed you are bringing your guests from inside to outside to celebrate or to watch some hired acts.

You could be having a Wedding in your back garden or want to have a marquee for your children’s birthday party where making mess outside is far more appealing than clearing up your house afterwards. Marquees can be used for many purposes; from dance floors to banqueting you will find your perfect marquee that will make your event very special indeed.

If you need staff to meet and greet your important guests, then promotional and/or event staff could be just the thing you have been looking for. You could be having a launch party where staff is hired to wear your brand or dressed in a certain way in which they really stand out. They are able to tell potential clients all about your product whilst being very professional at all times.

You may want some ‘eye candy’ to serve drinks on trays as your guests arrive, which will look very opulent indeed and make the first impression a good one.

Rock on!!!

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Why not hire an awesome line up of jaw-dropping musical talent that has graced the biggest stages in the world, from Wembley stadium to London’s West End! The greatest music from your favourite classic rock bands rolled into one incredible, guitar-shredding, drum-thundering show! Rocktastic hit after hit of the biggest and best guitar rock anthems!

Furious fun fused with powerful audience participation, gives you permission to rock, mosh and head-bang till you drop! You’ve been waiting to feel this good again and now the wait is over – rebel and be prepared to rock your socks off! Your Rock Band performs a pulsating, plethora of pounding rock. Unleash your inner Rock God (or Goddess) to the songs that have become the backdrop to your life.

If you’re having a theme Rock night then a Rock band will be the icing on the cake if you hire from Red Masque party entertainment directory. All extremely professional that have been highly acclaimed you will be guaranteed an amazing event.

Rock & Roll music was born in the 1950’s from a fusion of electric blues, country and gospel music. Confined to the Rhythm & Blues charts early in the decade, rock crosses over to the Pop charts from 1955 onward. Electric Blues, R&B, Doo Wop, Rockabilly…. 

In the sixties rock music comes of age and dominates the popular music charts. Rock diversifies with new styles such as soul, surf, folk rock, the British Invasion, psychedelic and hard rock. Television becomes a factor as prime time variety shows feature rock… 

The early seventies are marked by the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Psychedelic music declines, but morphs into hard rock, progressive rock and heavy metal. Touring bands move from playing clubs and theatres, to playing sports arenas…

It’s a kind of magic…

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Magic (sometimes referred to as stage magic to distinguish it from paranormal or ritual magic) is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means. These feats are called magic tricks, effects or illusions. A professional who performs such illusions is called a stage magician or an illusionist. Some performers may also be referred to by names reflecting the type of magical effects they present, such as conjurors, hypnotists, or escapologists.

The first book containing explanations of magic tricks appeared in 1584. During the 1600s many similar books were published that described magic tricks. Until the 18th century magic shows were a common source of entertainment at fairs. A founding figure of modern entertainment magic was Jean Eugene Robert-Houdini, who had a magic theatre in Paris in 1845.John Henry Anderson was pioneering the same transition in London in the 1840s. Towards the end of the 1800s, large magic shows permanently staged at big theatre venues became the norm. As a form of entertainment, magic easily moved from theatrical venues to television magic specials.

Opinions vary among magicians as to how categorize a given effect, but a number of categories have been developed. Magicians may pull a rabbit from an empty hat, make something seem to disappear, or transforms a red silk handkerchief into a white handkerchief. Magicians may also destroy something, like cutting a rope and then “restore” it, make something appear to move from one place to another, or escape from a restraining device. Other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity, making a solid object appears to pass through another object, or appearing to predict the choice of a spectator. Many magical routines use combinations of effects.

Traditionally, magicians refuse to reveal the methods behind their tricks to the audience. Membership in professional magicians’ organizations often requires a commitment never to reveal the secrets of magic to non-magicians. The teaching of performance magic was once a secretive practice. Magic performances tend to fall into a few specialties or genres. Stage illusions use large-scale props and even large animals. Platform magic is performed for a medium to large audience. Close-up magic is performed with the audience close to the magician. Escapology involves escapes from confinement or restraints. Pickpocket magicians take audience members’ wallets, belts, and ties.  Mentalism creates the illusion that the magician can read minds. Comedy magic is the use of magic combined with stand-up comedy, an example being Penn & Teller. Some modern illusionists believe that it is unethical to give a performance that claims to be anything other than a clever and skilful deception. Others argue that they can claim that the effects are due to magic. These apparently irreconcilable differences of opinion have led to some conflicts among performers. Another issue is the use of deceptive practices for personal gain outside the venue of a magical performance. Examples include fraudulent mediums, con-men who use deception for cheating at card games.

Dance the night away…

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A hired dance floor is a must with any event with music.  There are many dance floors to choose from it could be a mirrored dance floor, light up, flashing l.e.ds or just a romantic themed one for lovers.

You could be having a ‘ballroom’ evening where one of these dance-floors would be key to the success of your event, or a corporate evening where you want your entire guests to get up and have a good old boogie.

Whatever dance floor you had in mind, we are sure you will find the perfect one for you.  We have the most diverse selection of dance floors for you to choose.

As girls love a bit of dancing around their handbags (or was that just my era?)  Having a girlie get together and dancing to your guilty pleasure is every girls dream!!  Now you just need to quench your thirst and what better than to have you very own butler or butlers for your party!  A bit of eye candy serving drinks as and when needed would be the recipe for the perfect night out!!!

Whether he is topless or naked (of course an apron to cover his modesty) then these butlers will certainly liven up your event.  Serving up some treats for you girls or mixing a few of your favourite cocktails, these toned butlers will be the icing on the cake.

How about having a dancing Robot entertainers or two at your event? These must-have robots are all the rage at the moment from talking robots, to serving robots, they will be able to meet and greet your guests and be a guaranteed crowd pleaser and of course a talking point for months to come. Your robot entertainer of your choice is able to talk through exactly what you would like from him, it maybe a group of robots performing a dance or just one or two mingling with you crowd; there are many things your Robot can do.

Just have a look on our gallery of party entertainment and we are sure that you will find just what you are after for just click on the one that most interests you from the gallery and fill out an online booking form.  Your girlie night will be a definite night to remember!!