Well, dear reader, it's a very fair question to ask. What will they bring to the event? Will my guests enjoy it? What will happen? There are about as many answers to the questions are there are magicians, but for this post I will be taking about my experiences of performing, and what I would want to happen at my gathering.
The purpose of a magician or mind reader is first and foremost, to entertain. This sort of goes without saying. Create an good environment in which entertainment can happen is another matter, and is down to a number of factors.
Ask yourself, what is the purpose of the dinner? If the reason for the gathering is to reminisce about old times and catch up with old friends, then entertainment might not be necessary. On the other hand, it can be a great way to break the ice and give old friends brand new topics of conversation.
Conversely, you may be organising a gathering for a group of near strangers, in which case a mind reader is a perfect way to bring people together and create a genuine connection between those present.
I am an expert mingler. A decade of being invited to boring entertainment industry press nights has ensured those skills are honed to perfection. Arriving early and casually chatting to your guests, I will fit in with whatever mood you are trying to create, just another guests ready for a fantastic evening. This ensures there is no clunky "Now the show will begin" moments. The casual chatter and performance should just blend into one another perfectly naturally, keeping the event running smoothly while segueing into moments of pure amazement.
What follows is an intimate and strange experience. People with have their thoughts read, share stories of past experiences, and witness impossibility right in front of their eyes. There's no sponge balls here, just pure, direct mind reading, and demonstrations of suggestions and prediction. Mind Reading is a sophisticated and adult entertainment. Where traditional magicians can sometimes appear patronising or outdated, mind reading is an incredibly modern and more grown up form of mystery entertainment. Ultimately, it's great fun! Everyone present is in on the game, and we're all playing it together. One of your guests might develop the power to stop time, another will feel the presence of people who they cannot see, another will successfully predict a drawing from a person sat opposite them. Since every event is different, each performance is tailored to who is round the table or present at the party. Sometimes a 20 minute performance is all that is required, sometimes you may wish for a full 1-2 hour show. That choice is your (with advice from me).
If you want to lift your event into something more than just talking about food and drink, then perhaps you should consider this type of intimate, mystery entertainment. There is no pretence, and no pomposity. The real star of the show is the event and your guests, my aim is to help lift that, and create a memorable experience that is still being talked about years later. If that sounds like something you'd like for your next gathering, then yes, I think you should hire me, or someone like me.
Give me a call and we can discuss options and how best to make that happen.
Now go. Go, youngling, into the world!
All the best,
Sam