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Get planning New Year’s Eve early

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Because most pubs and restaurants get booked up and rammed to the rafters, many people prefer to throw a private party. If you decide to hire a party venue it pays to book well in advance.

It’s also important to recognise that people expect something a little special on New Year’s Eve so don’t be afraid to go all out. Why not have a look at some of the best party themes we have listed to get some inspiration for some great party ideas.

It’s good to ensure there are plenty of attractions to keep guests talking and mingling so you could also consider casino tables which can create a space for guests to meet, mix and break the ice. Also check out some mix and mingle acts who will work the floor & get people talking.

Party Bands

For a rocking party, you could book a live band. Live bands are perfect for NYE parties and work well with a Scottish Hogmanay theme. Hire a band with a caller to shout out the dance moves and you’re away!

Other popular choices include/swing bands, soul bands, rock n roll or jive bands to keep your guests dancing all evening long.

Also traditional for the stroke of midnight, book a Bag Piper!

Fireworks

It’s now become traditional to set off fireworks at midnight on new year’s eve. You could arrange a professional fireworks show or you can buy DIY firework kits from recommended suppliers.

Travelling

If you’re prepared to travel it’s well worth a visit to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations!!

But, whatever you decide to do, make sure you do what’s right for you.

Its no joke

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The Joker itself was invented sometime around 1860 by players of the card game Euchre, a trick-taking trump card game for four players. Relying on memory, tactics and good communication, you don’t use the entire deck but somewhere between 24 and 32 cards. It was believed to be introduced to the US by German settlers, though this is in dispute and it may also have been introduced to the American mainland by immigrants from Cornwall and Devon.

We have all shuffled a pack of cards at a private party. Cards are great entertainment for events. Most probably you own at least one, just in case we want to practice a couple of magic tricks or have a game or two of a popular card game. You normally take the playing cards from the pack, take out the Jokers and start dealing the cards. But have you ever stopped to wonder where the Joker comes from and why it is there? Well we have the information that you require!

In the 1860s, some American card players of Euchre devised some new rules for their beloved game. The problem? It required an extra card. Sure, they could have used one of the spare cards from the deck, but since all the face cards are part of the game, this wouldn’t have been a ‘good fit’. They referred to the new card they came up with as the Best Bower, adding it to the game where it became the highest trump card available.

Looking to make a quick buck from these variation rules, American card manufacturers quickly jumped on the trend by including a couple of extra cards in their decks. The British were a little slower to catch on though, only adding them in during the 1880s.

The Best Bower card was slowly phased out to become the Joker or Jolly Joker that we all know and love today. Like the Ace of Spades, it was typically branded with the company logo or with a unique floral motif that connected it to the manufacturer. It wasn’t until the Joker title for the card became more common that it was almost always represented by a performing jester.

Despite the fact you may think the Joker is connected in some way to the Fool in Tarot cards, you might be interested to know that there is no connection at all. Tarot cards have been around since the 15th century when jesters were still a possible career option and there is no link to the Jokers in a pack of cards.

Your next Halloween party

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Are you thinking about having a mystical event, where the thought of your future being read is very thought provoking? You will have to agree even if you were a bit sceptical you cannot fail to be a little intrigued?

Illusionists are getting more advanced with their clever tricks that will misdirect you to looking elsewhere even though you thought you had your eye firmly on the ball – these professional and extremely clever illusionists will fool you time and time again and you will believe in Magic!!!

Magicians work the same but if you wanted the more traditional magic tricks then you are able to hire from our Red Masque Directory, from Children’s magicians to adult ones we have got something for everyone.

Or for something a little daring? Why not hire an escapologist with there up-to-the –minute death defying acts that would amaze the most sceptical of us!! An edge of your seat performance which leave little time for the escapologist to escape unhurt. We all know they will make it but it still makes up wonder ‘what if?’

Contortionists on the other hand can amaze us with bending their bodies in the tiniest of places; these contortionists can be part of a magic act where they can fit into the most impossible places making us believe that they have disappeared.

Mind readers, as the name suggests, can put on an entertaining event by reading many of your guests minds who want to participate.

Another act to consider are Hypnotists for parties they can be used for medical issues but also for party entertainment – a night with a Hypnotist can be an absolute scream, you just need to select your guests who are willing to participate. They will swear blind nothing happened when they leave the stage but leave all your watching guests in stitches at the silly things that the participants did!!

We are sure that you have found what you have been looking for by reading this – once you have decided what you want for your event, simply book a few using an online booking form and make your event something special!!

Captivate your guests

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As with most corporate events, décor will be key and 2018 is no exception. Your party venue needs to wow your guests from the moment they walk in, creating a special and uniquely defined space for your event. Two highly contrasting themes are high tech interactive and natural materials, enabling your company to show off its tech prowess, or boost its eco credentials.

You could extend the theme beyond décor and food into acoustic musical acts, for a more ‘natural’ sound.

Take lighting to the next level and illuminate your event to create spectacle and visual interest. Any event venue can be transformed with clever and creative use of lighting even on the more limited of budgets. Use lighting to throw unusual shadows, to colour tables rather than using flowers, and use wireless technology to alter lighting states to reflect the various stages of your event. Look for party bands and DJ’S with their own light shows, rock and pop function bands that provide their own lighting, and artists that use light in imaginative ways.

For larger corporate events, book artists that have a strong visual impact enhanced by theatrical style lighting, such as dance troupes, ballet dancers or aerial artists.

Choose musicians that blend performances with tech, such as our interactive VJ’S, or a live DJ. Get your guests interacting with each other playing giant games with your very own theme.

Find ways to make your entertainment a pleasure for everyone by choosing acts that blend superb musicianship with accessible humour, such as a comedy string quartet. Or present musical acts with an international flavour, such as 1920s swing band just make people smile!

All night with Michael Buble

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A lot of the time we get feedback on acts that are on our advertised on our website. This is a great way for other event hosts and party planners to hear from the performer’s happy past clients! Sometimes we stumble upon a particularly moving review that makes us proud to connect hosts with extraordinary entertainers. Here’s what somebody hired from our website to liven up their private party!

I was searching for some kind of fun and unexpected entertainment for a birthday party for my Grandmother’s 80th. We were having live party band after dinner but I wanted something to kick off the party with a spark of fun after everyone arrived.

Our family knew that Grandma adored Michael Buble. I took the opportunity of hiring a celebrity lookalike; and I was very glad I did. I had the opportunity of talking to the act before and to go through all the particulars. The act told me he was rehearsing for a theatrical play in the West End and told me about all the other roles he has been involved with.

When my Grandma’s 80th birthday arrived. I was so excited when my party entertainer to came in, when he walked into the party there was definite ‘stage presence’ he engaged with my Grandma and his stage act dance was so authentic. She blushed but loved every minute of it.

A group picture was taken with the Michael Buble lookalike surrounded by all our guests.

One of our guests, who is 70 years old, came up to the hired party entertainer to tell him he had met the real Michael Buble. He was gracious and listened to her story all the while keeping in character. Our friend was delighted and said he was just as charming. He talked about him all night long.

I knew I found someone special in this act. He was not only charismatic, young and talented; he was charming and a delight to work with!

Well done Red Masque and of course Michael!!!

Hire Christmas entertainment now

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Christmas may seem far away when you are just about getting used to the unpredictable British Summer, but it’s worth thinking about planning your next Christmas party…

We thought we whet your appetite and tempt you with a few ideas for your Christmas Event this year:

Caricaturist
Caricaturists are a great way to entertain the guests and to salvage some memories from the year.
Most caricaturists are happy to pre-print paper with the date and logos, they can kick start conversations to kick the evening off and it’s nice to wake up with at least one thing in the morning to remind you of the night before.

Magician
Another great way to bring your guests together is with some magic and mindreading. Red Masque have some fantastic magicians advertised which will blow your guests minds without blowing your money.

These acts can mix and mingle with guests of all ages and they take little time to set up. They can be ready to go almost as quickly as this year has passed and as quickly as New Year’s Day will arrive so if you’re keen, enquire now.

Fire Performers
If it’s cold outside, or even inside, Fire Performers will add some heat to the New Year’s party and mesmerise your guests in the process. They can provide ambient performances spread throughout the evening whilst your guests mingle, or if you like they can offer a high energy, choreographed fire show that will leave them in awe. This is a sure-fire way to warm up the party.

Sound limiter

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One of the biggest worries about corporate events or private parties is that their venue has a sound limiter and they’re unsure how this will effect the band they want to book.

It’s true that a sound limiter may limit the style of band or live music you can book BUT this is not always the case AND even with the strictest of limiters there are still lots of great options available!
We’ve provided the following simple guide to make sense of what a sound limiter is and how it may affect your choice of band or live music.
What is a sound limiter?

A sound limiter is an electrical device that measures the level of noise in a room. If the volume reaches a certain level the sound limiter can temporarily cut the power supply to the stage. Limiters are put in place mostly to reduce noise pollution and to help the venue avoid noise complaints from nearby residents. The levels can vary depending on your party or event venue so it is always a good idea to check with the venue before planning your party entertainment and even better, before booking the venue if the entertainment is going to be the priority.

What to do if the venue has a sound limiter in place?
Firstly, find out exactly what the limit is and if possible, what kind of limiter is in place. Some of the more intrusive limiters will cut off the power without warning and some work on a traffic light system to give an amber warning to the act before the limiter is triggered and some are just a hand held device that give a sound reading.

By finding out the limiter level, you can ensure that only suitable acts are suggested.

Questions to ask

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We know that many of you have never planned a party before. Perhaps you’re planning a corporate event or a Birthday Party. This list is a product of many years of providing private event entertainment (but this list is applicable to most forms of entertainment). These are the questions you should be asking your performers before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Where (and for whom) do you do the majority of your shows?
What you are trying to find out is how experienced and equipped the performers are for working private parties. Many bar performers represent themselves as party entertainers but may not have the experience working with venues and professional event planners, or they may lack the equipment or insurance that is necessary, especially for larger venues.

2. Can you show proof of insurance?
While we’re not convinced that this is always necessary for event entertainers, this speaks to the professionalism of the entertainer. If the entertainer does a lot of private events in nice hotels and country clubs, they will be more likely to carry liability insurance, as many of the higher-end venues require this. If you entertainer is not insured, then perhaps they are not working many of these venues, which could mean that they are not attracting the top end private event clients.

3. What is the cancellation policy?
Most entertainment acts will penalize you for cancelling a performance that has already been contracted. They look at dates on the calendar as inventory. If you reserve your date, they can’t sell it to anyone else. So if you cancel, they may not be able to rebook. It’s similar to how event venues or photographers view their calendars. If you think there may be a need to cancel or change your date, discuss this with the entertainment BEFORE signing a contract and see if there is any flexibility on their policy. I’ve written contracts for clients that allowed them to cancel up to 4 weeks after entering the contract to suit a particular situation.

4. How much is the deposit and is it refundable?
This goes hand in hand with the previous question. Usually deposits are not refundable. This serves as incentive for a client not to cancel or reschedule. A common deposit structure is 50% upon signing and 50% upon arrival at the venue.

5. Do you bring stage lighting?
A pretty standard thing for entertainers to supply, but some of the smaller groups won’t have this, and some of the higher-tier entertainers may expect that this would be supplied by an outside production company. You should ask.

6. How long do you need to set up?
Make sure you coordinate this with your venue. If the venue is using your space for another client prior to your time slot, you want to ask the venue ‘what is the earliest time that the entertainment can load in’. Then verify that this is sufficient with your entertainment.

7. Ask the venue if there is specific wording they require on the performer’s insurance certificate.
Some venues just want to know the entertainer is insured, but many require that they, the venue, (and sometimes the parent company) are listed on the entertainer’s insurance certificate as Additional Insured.

8. Ask for space (and staging) requirements from your entertainers. This includes length, depth, height and placement. Verify with the venue that this can be accommodated. If it can’t, find out how flexible your entertainers are regarding these dimensions and placement. Many performers can do their show with no staging platform at all if necessary but they will all need a certain amount of space to set up. Know what this is.

Celebrity lookalikes

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Everyone wants their party to be memorable. One fun idea is to hire celebrity lookalikes to mingle with your guests at your private party or corporate event. Nothing loosens up a stuffy corporate crowd quite like sharing cocktails with Gaga or Elvis.

Just imagine hiring Michael Buble, Bette Midler and Elton John impersonators to work your party! After, the impersonators can mingle with your guests. Then your acts will continue doing the show again and then 30 minutes later Elton can take over the stage with a medley of his greatest hits,

We at Red Masque have obviously chosen our favourite celebrities but you can choose whoever you like to invite to your party. We particularly think Lady Gaga, Tina Turner, Prince, Beyoncé and other larger-than-life entertainers would all be great choices too.

There are absolutely loads of great celebrity lookalikes to hire and some will be hard to tell the difference. They can be hired for a many other events too, you could use a few celebrities to open up your new shop or restaurant. A perfect photo opportunity and a great talking point to get people talking about your business!!

So when you are next thinking about entertainment for your event, think about a celebrity!!!

Easter entertainment ideas

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We love Easter and we love chocolate! But what fab ideas are there going on across the capital to keep the little ones entertained?

Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg?

At first glance, you might think that this macabre sounding title isn’t intended for children at all! A murder? Have no fear for this is a charming children’s film in the vein of The Goonies and other classics of eras gone by. Fans of Broadchurch may well recognise the Dorset coastline in a number of the scenes as children at a holiday camp attempt to work out just who killed Nelson Nutmeg, the name of the camp’s mascot. Fun for all the family and it even features Harry Potter’s Ginny Weasley!

Jurassic Kingdom – London

Fans of dinosaurs unite for there is a lot of excitement to be had at Osterley Park throughout the Easter holidays! We adore the use of animatronics at corporate events or private parties and in this exhibition, children and adults alike are free to explore the Osterley gardens and parklands, uncovering numerous life-sized moving replicas of everybody’s Jurassic favourites. From the Tyrannosaurus Rex to the Diplodocus, Triceratops and Pterosaur, you’re sure to have an amazing time.

Make a Mess!

If you have children who struggle to stay clean, then making a mess will be right up their alley. At the London Museum of Water & Steam, guests will be able to take advantage of the museum’s Splash Zones, where kids can experiment with gears, levers, buckets, pipes and more, all in the aim of moving water from one destination to another. You’ll also be able to see live chicks hatching, take part in Easter arts and crafts sessions or follow the cool family trail.

Easter Chocolate Workshop

There are so many chocolate related activities and workshops going on this Easter that we’re unsure exactly which one to recommend though My Chocolate sounds incredible! You can help build a giant flat egg or chick from molten chocolate, learn to create marbled effects through an egg and learn the history of chocolate. Is there anything cooler than knowing historical chocolate history? Probably not. You’ll also be able to decorate your own eggs and presumably eat them too. Yummy! It sounds like something Lick Me, I’m Delicious would be all over!