South American entertainment

Why not embrace all that Latin spirit, hold a fun World Cup party for all your mates, and learn the life-loving, hip-swaying moves that Latin American footie fans do so well with a Latin dance band.
Go Dance
Top of your list should be the Latamba Show Band, who bring all the energy, exuberant and sequins of a Latin Brazilian party to any venue. These guys really know how to dance. Guests can sit back and enjoy a fantastic live band, vocalists and dancers performing a great show, before joining in on the dance floor! They also offer a small space/small budget option with backing tracks instead of the full bands, but still keeping all that energy and sense of fun.
Go Mega
If you want to push the carnival float out a contemporary Brazilian carnival band for hire that can fill your party with music from the streets and clubs of Rio de Janeiro. This is no small scale outfit either Carnival Bands are made up of around 25-30 musicians including five percussionists, a singer, a Brazilian ukulele player, and two gorgeous dancers in full carnival style costume!

Go Sit Down!

If learning all those dances seems a little too much like hard work, do what most football fans do, and sit back with a beer and enjoy watching the professionals do it! Carnival Party bands have their own troupe of dancers, whose performances feature Carnival samba costumes, sensual mulatta dancers, Capoeira (Brazilian acrobatic martial art dance), Lambada, Afro-Brazilian dance, Brazilian north eastern folkloric dances and much more.

Maritime Party Theme ideas

Here’s just a few ideas of maritime venues and party entertainment that seem just made for each other!
HMS Belfast, London

Yes, you can hire this iconic WWII battleship moored on the Thames. Hold an intimate drinks party in the Admiral’s Quarters, or enjoy great views of London from the Quarterdeck with 450 of your closest friends for your wedding reception.

Appropriate acts: Greet your guests with the sounds of the 1940s. Then, dance the night away to a 1940s style big band playing hits by Glenn Miller.

Party like a Lottery winner for your hen night on your own private luxury yacht, sailing from the famous Albert Docks in Liverpool out into the Irish Sea to the iconic Anthony Gormley statues (weather permitting). Perfect for you and your very own Ocean’s Twelve (i.e. 12 people max),
Appropriate acts: Save the dancing for your return to Albert Docks, where you can hire a variety of venues for an all-night, bop ’till you drop party. Save money by booking a rock and pop function band.

Manchester Party Barge

Manchester barge The Bohemia can whisk you and up to 60 guests along the hidden waterways of central Manchester for a birthday party or anniversary celebration with a difference. With space to enjoy live music on your travels, and a route that takes you past the iconic Old Trafford football ground, this is an evening to savour. Other iconic waterways offering party barges including the Tiverton Canal, Lancaster Canal and the city with more canals than Venice – Birmingham!

Appropriate acts: for smaller venues such as a barge, opt for a compact duo or trio that play all your favourite hits with the minimum of kit.

Packet Boat Trips, Bristol

Charter a boat to party on the River Avon as it flows through the Avon Gorge, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and out to sea. The Bristol Packet Boat Company offer a choice of boats, including a traditional river steamer, an Amsterdam sightseeing boat, and an all weather cruiser made for parties. All boats have a full bar and food can be provided.

Appropriate acts: Although there may not be too much room for dancing, you can still pack your packet with your favourite tunes from an experienced DJ.

Father’s Day entertainment ideas

Father’s day will be here quicker than you know it! Here at Red Masque, we’re committed to making everything just a little more unique, and that means it’s time for some great Father’s Day entertainment ideas.

So, what is the best type of entertainment to get Dad for Father’s Day? Well, he might like one of our burlesque dancers, but that might not be the best Father’s Day gift. So, maybe we should look at some other great options…

Fathers put a lot of energy into raising their children, so why not celebrate Father’s Day by surprising them with breakfast in bed? For a fancy breakfast, hire a personal chef to get everything ready. Although when it comes to delivering breakfast in bed, we’re not sure that we would recommend sending a stranger into his bedroom, but there’s a good chance that Dad is always out of bed at least a few hours before you, so here are a few options for celebrations a bit later in the day.

What kind of music did Dad really love back in his younger days; back when he would whisk mum away to a concert, stay out well into the night, and wake up without a screaming baby demanding food? Why not surprise him with a blast from the past by a 60’s tribute band to come and play just for him? How amazing would that be?!

But if your dad doesn’t listen to music, we mean not the same kind of music we listen to, at least. But he still loves to be surprised and entertained, so there are other choices. Singing telegrams are certainly music, and we believe they would help to bridge the gap between your music and your father’s music. Everyone loves a great jingle, and if you hurry and book a singing telegram now, they’ll have more time to create a customized message. For an extra treat, you can even go for a singing telegram or special birthday message delivered by a celebrity impersonator. Maybe “Happy Father’s Day, Mr. President” isn’t quite as sultry and scandalous as the original Marilyn Monroe ditty, but it would certainly make a great surprise!

Whatever you decide to choose for the perfect Father’s Day gift, Red Masque is here to help. Take a look at all the great entertainment we have to offer.

Could you solve a murder mystery?

Was it Colonel Mustard in the library with a candlestick? Or was it your best friend in the kitchen with a lamp? There’s only one way to find out… Have a Murder Mystery Dinner Party!

If you and your friends like acting, dressing up in costumes, mysteries, and/or the classic board game Clue, a murder mystery party is the event for you! Even if these activities aren’t real hobbies of your friends, you’d be surprised at how much fun you can have at a murder mystery party. Here are a few helpful hints at turning your dinner party into a whodunit murder mystery…

Only invite your fun friends.

We all have that friend who gets a little moody when they aren’t choosing the group activity. We love them anyway, but if you don’t think they’ll play along and have fun, maybe don’t invite them this time. For this kind of party, you’ll want to your guests to be as involved as possible and excited to play along.

Decide on scripted vs. unscripted.

If your friends are quick on their feet and ready to improvise, a script might not be necessary. However, for some, role playing doesn’t come as naturally and you may want a script to fall back on. Either way, send out your invitations ideally 4-6 weeks in advance, complete with their new identity. If your party is scripted, this will give them plenty of time to learn their part. For unscripted events, it’s the perfect amount of time to develop their characters and get their costumes ready! Regardless of whether or not you opt for a script, each of your guests should have a complete background of their character so that they can play the part successfully to match your clues. No talking about your new found identity. It’s a secret!

Say yes..

The golden rule of improvisation is to never say no. To keep the plot and the conversation moving, you’ll want to always respond willingly to a situation and contribute to the conversation. Your role as the host is very important. You’ll be the only one who knows who everyone else is, and therefore, it is through your mixing, mingling, and question-asking that they will get to know each other.

Dinner is served.

When it comes to dinner, you’ll need to decide if you’d like a fancy, sit-down dinner or a buffet. For many hosts, a buffet is preferred, as it allows them to focus their attention on the guests. Whichever way you decide, we strongly suggest hiring a Caterer, Bartender, and a Waiter to help your event run smoothly. They’ll keep the food and drinks coming while you search for the killer!

Offer a prize.

In real-life murder mysteries, you may see that a reward of £25K is being issued. You probably don’t have £25k to hand out, but it adds to the fun to incentivize winning. Whoever cracks the case gets a trophy or another special prize! This will keep the competition lively. Alternatively, you can offer multiple prizes for not only the winner, but the best costume or the best performance.

Bring in the pros.

If you aren’t feeling confident with your ability to create and assign characters, write a script, or successfully place the clues, get some help. A lot of details go into pulling off a murder mystery party, but luckily, there are companies who will handle these details for you. Plus, they’ll come to your party and interact with the guests to move the story in the right direction.

Most importantly, just have fun. Murder mystery parties are unforgettable and your guests will have a great time dressing up and mingling with the other characters at your party. So, just enjoy it… and watch your back!

Team building exercise

One of the great benefits of team building is that it offers participants the opportunity to indulge their deepest desires and longstanding aspirations. Why not indulge in some film making activity which challenges teams to create their own unique commercial, which are then reviewed before a winner is announced.

Each team could be set the same creative challenge, while they are also equipped with an array of dazzling props, purposeful resources and even film production software. These teams then collaborate throughout the day to create their film, with a view to winning the grand prize in a ceremony.

With this in mind, what challenges will each team have to face through the course of the task? Consider the following: –

• Determining Roles and Responsibilities: While this is primarily a fun task, there are also a number of professional and leadership based challenges involved. Firstly, participants within each team must determine individual roles, with the selection of director, camera operator and actors particularly important!

• Creative Thinking and Visualization: The ability to think creatively and visualize concepts is crucial, especially when it comes to driving businesses forward. Your film making task will challenge team members to develop innovative themes and bring them to life, testing their judgement and ability to think outside of the box!

• The Correct Use of Props and Filming: The fact that each team has the same equipment is telling, and they are also given a single shot to film their commercial. This challenges the ability of each individual’s ability to work in harmony, while under intense pressure and strict time demands.

Once these challenges have been met, each participating team will present their adverts to their peers and judges. Appraised on the quality of their advert and a series of additional criteria that are set beforehand, the winners will receive their very own Oscar and experience the unadulterated excitement of a red carpet, silver screen experience.

Do you like Quizzes?

Your quiz night could be based on the popular TV like The Krypton Factor. This Quiz night could be designed to offer a unique and different series of rounds which appeal to all. Each round involves every member of each team in an interactive way. This ensures you get full engagement and participation with lots of variety.

You can hire a professional compere who will inject a great level of energy and laughter to make sure your event is an experience rather than just a stereotyped ‘quiz’. Rounds can run before, during (between courses), or after dinner.

What would the advantages of a Quiz night bring to your staff?

Gets everyone involved unlike conventional quizzes
Hire a professional compere
Can run between courses of a meal
Draws upon different skills and knowledge
Fun and light hearted party entertainment

Examples:

Divided into: teams of between 8 and 10, groups will take on a variety of themed rounds. Each round is completely different to the last. All rounds and questions are presented by your hired compere with graphics displayed on a big screen. Each team records scores after each round, with points updates after every round. The finale round offers bonus points meaning teams who aren’t in the top 3 have the chance to catch up and steal the top spot.

OBSERVATION – carefully watch a detailed video ready to answer questions on what you see.
MOVIE MASH UP – you’ll see the visual from one movie with audio from another. Can you guess both?
CREATIVE – great British Bake Off cake decorating.
MENTAL – brain busting conundrums

We are sure that this would be a real ‘Ice Breaker’ for all your staff, it will certainly bring the best out of your staff.

The Generation Game

The Generation Game was part of British Saturday night television for many years, the Generation Game is a fun filled interactive event. This ultimate day of games, quizzes, and challenges will have your group in fits of riotous laughter and mayhem!

Imagine your colleagues competing to decorate their very own cake in the style of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ while others try to outdo each other in table cloth whipping! And for trivia boffins the events proceedings kick off with a quiz and rounds off with a memory challenge.

The Generation Game could be run during the day or for evenings (between courses of a meal or after-dinner entertainment.) Each round could be presented by a professional compere, all of whom come from a comedic background to make sure your event is filled with laughter. Groups of between 8 and 10 compete head-to-head, with each round designed to include every member of the team. After each round you will present the famous ‘scores on the doors’ so teams can see where they sit on the leader board.

Party Game ideas.

How well can you guestimate?
21 second challenges
Great British Bake Off – Cake decorating
Whippit- whip the table cloth away from a set dining table
Conveyer belt
What are the benefits of this team building exercise?

Laughter Guaranteed
Professional comedic host
Rounds to appeal to everyone
Real back to school childish fun
Can run during the day or evening
Something completely crazy and different
Prizes for the winning team

This event will please the most serious of people and get them to show their true fun side!

It’s the Knockout

For years, It’s a Knockout – Undoubtedly the wettest, wildest, and wackiest competition on TV in it’s day. It combines the game’s traditional format with our own unique sense of fun to create the ultimate example of a motivational team-building event.

This is a great idea for team building because it’s:

BIG, bright and crazy fun
Something completely different
Everyone involved
Great head-to-head team competition
Amazing inflatables in a huge arena
A chance to be big kids again

So what could happen?

With everyone in the right frame of mind, teams of 8 to 12 people will be established, and the games can commence in earnest! Competing against each other for points and to avoid the dreaded booby prize, players will accept a range of unusual challenges to a relentless varied soundtrack.

Party Games ideas.

PENGUIN PURSUIT – Wearing giant penguin costumes you’ll race against other teams to catch the most fish!
THE SWEEPER – Taken from the famous Total Wipe-out TV show, teams must be quick to jump and avoid the rotating sweeper arm.
TROPICAL SCRABBLE – Teams race through an inflatable obstacle course collecting letters, the quickest team to spell a word wins!
BUNGEE RUN – Run as far as you can down an inflatable bungee runway with a large elastic cord tied to your waist. See who can get the furthest.
GLADIATOR DUEL – Knock your opponent off of their podium before they knock you off of yours!

So there you have it, fuel for thought. Amazing fun and will see your staff in a different light!

Dragons Den team building

Dragons’ Den is a team-building event that gives your people the chance to do some real blue-sky thinking out of the office. Participants are split into teams and encouraged to conceptualise, research, and create a brand new product, idea, or service to take the market by storm. The theme can either be based on your business, for example, creating a marketing advert for an internal campaign, or simply left to the team’s innovation.

If you are looking to bring the best out of your staff, this Dragons Den idea is just great for:
Great for sharing new ideas and creative thinking
Brings the best out in people
Gives everyone the chance to be heard
Exposes new talents you may not see in the office
Ideal for getting involvement and buy in to new ideas or products
Fun, entertaining, competitive & inspiring
Links energy and results directly back to the workplace

Teams arrive in the ‘Den’ complete with themed music & graphics to emulate the real thing. The resident Evan Davies introduces the dragons who are normally a mixture of your senior members of your team. Groups head off to breakout rooms ready to plan their ideas and pitch.

Stages the teams could go through;

PLANNING: sharing ideas to come up with the winning formula concept
RESEARCH: target audience, competitors & unique selling points
MARKETING: graphics, presentation material and mock up designs
FINANCES: start-up costs, profits and forecast business value
THE PITCH: each member of the team must be involved in inspiring the Dragons

The event is light-hearted and FUN; however, a more serious twist can be applied. You may see an idea go on the market!!

The wonderful world of Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

What a wonderful party this would be! There is no doubt a brilliant opportunity for caterers to get imaginative and conjure up all sorts of delicious treats for guests but it also presents a brilliant theme for entertainment as well. Hire a Willy Wonka costume, hire dancers for your event to be oompha loompas and can no doubt put together a magical repertoire of acts to truly make you feel as though you’ve stepped into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Matilda

The Natural History Museum’s Hitze Hall would be a wonderful setting for a Roald Dahl themed party, certainly a large enough room for some of the magic that will undoubtedly take place as a Matilda event reaches its peak. A digital graffiti wall would be a wonderful addition whilst magicians would be an obvious addition to the occasion. Illusions on the stairs amongst Dippy the Dinosaur will surely be a must see! Just make sure you avoid Miss Trunchbull, the scariest of all costumed characters!!

The BFG

Imagine attending a party where everything is giant-sized! That’d certainly make Roald Dahl party games more fun! From the chairs made out of cotton reels to a scone the size of a table, this is sure to be a 2016 party theme to celebrate the release of the Steven Spielberg film! Wouldn’t that be fun? Giant pencils and mugs can function as theming props whilst the BFG himself can lurk outside a window. But what of the entertainment? With some sneaky production, it’d be possible to magnify the image of a band or circus troupe so that giants are really performing at your event! That’d be a must see as you munch on the snozzcumbers.

James and the Giant Peach

As far as we’re aware, there isn’t a venue in London or the rest of the UK that’s been hollowed out from the inside of a peach but no matter, we you always create one. Okay, perhaps not a real peach but for a James and the Giant Peach party, we think repurposing a circular venue such as the Royal Albert Hall, the London Planetarium or the Round House will be perfect. After that, we can then work on the entertainment.

The Twits

For a final idea, we thought we’d go for spectacle over practicality. You see, as any fan of The Twits will tell you, there are a number of moments in the story that stick out to a reader, not least the finale where The Twits believe they’re upside down. As such, how about sticking everything to the ceiling of your venue and having an ‘upside down’ party? With bird pie on the menu (or not, as the case may be), various practical jokes provided by top comedians and hired party magicians and a few wonderful costumed characters to play the titular characters, there is more than enough here to create a brilliant (albeit highly expensive and unsafe) event. But hey, The Twits themselves would probably enjoy it!