If you’ve never booked a corporate magician for an event before, you might be wondering what actually happens on the day. Here’s a realistic walk through, based on how a typical booking runs.
Before the day
Once a booking is confirmed, I’ll usually ask for a few details — the venue, the timings, roughly how many guests, and whether it’s a drinks reception, a dinner, or both. This helps me plan how I’ll move through the room and how long to spend with each group.
For larger events, I’ll also check whether there’s a second magician needed — anything over 150 guests usually benefits from two of us working the room, so everyone gets a proper experience rather than a rushed one.
Arrival
I arrive early — usually 30 minutes before I’m due to start. This gives me time to find the events manager, get a feel for the room, and load my pockets with the right material for the evening. Close-up magic requires no setup, no stage and no equipment beyond a deck of cards, so there’s very little to prepare beyond getting my bearings.
The performance
Once guests start arriving, I begin moving between small groups — usually four to eight people at a time. Each group gets 5 to 10 minutes of magic, enough for something memorable without holding anyone up from their conversation or their drink.
Something interesting happens as the evening goes on. Reactions carry. A trick that gets a big response — genuine shrieks, sometimes — gets noticed by people nearby, and before long guests are actively looking for “the magician” rather than the other way round. By the middle of the evening, introductions become far easier. Word has already travelled around the room.
At a drinks reception, this continues for the full duration — an hour, ninety minutes, sometimes two hours depending on the booking. I’ve performed this way at venues including Duck & Waffle in Bishopsgate and the Royal Opera House — both spaces where the room naturally lends itself to moving between groups. At dinner, I’ll typically perform during the reception, take a break while the starter is served, then return between courses for the middle of the meal.
What guests usually say
The most common reaction, by some distance, is guests turning to whoever they came with and asking “did you see that?” It’s rare that someone else in the group hasn’t seen exactly what happened — which is often more interesting than the trick itself.
If I have a card signed, I always give it away as a keepsake at the end of the trick. Some people keep them in a wallet or purse for years afterwards — I’ve had guests show me a signed card from an event years earlier.
Wrapping up
At the end of the booking, I’ll usually check in with the events manager or booker to confirm everything went to plan, then head off quietly. No big goodbye, no interruption to the evening — the magic simply stops the same way it started, without anyone quite noticing the transition.
That’s genuinely most of it. The best compliment I can get at a corporate event is when someone tells me afterwards that they’d completely forgotten I was “hired entertainment” — that I just felt like part of the evening.
A Few Common Questions
How long does a magician stay at a corporate event?
Typically 1-2 hours, depending on the format of the event and the number of guests.
Does the magician need a stage or equipment?
No — close-up magic requires nothing beyond what the magician carries with them, so there’s no setup needed at all.
What happens if the event runs over time?
I’m always happy to discuss flexibility around timings in advance of the booking.
Do guests get to keep anything from the performance?
Yes — a signed playing card as a keepsake is a lovely memento many guests keep for years.
If you’re planning a corporate event and want to know more about how a booking would work for you, get in touch — happy to talk through the details before you commit to anything.
