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FAQ
What is
the package that most parents book?
By far, the
most popular package requested by parents is the two-hour magic
and dancing party package. This package starts off with the
magic & puppet show, followed by balloon animals while the
children eat (if appropriate), which is then immediately
followed by dancing games (Cha Cha Slide & Superman) and party
games such as Musical Bumps, The Conga and The Hokey Cokey. This
is the type of show I perform most often. More details about
that show can be read on the
Magic &
Games Show page.
How do I make a booking?
To make a booking, you need
to know the date, time and venue address of your party. It is
then best to either ring me (0161 286 3856) or e-mail me
(admin@magicmystery.co.uk)
to check my availability as I am very busy, especially at
weekends. I can then give you a quote for the party as well.
If I am free
and you wish to make a booking, I will need to know the type of
show you want (1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours etc.) the birthday
child's name and age. If possible, the number of children you
plan on inviting (so that I can send the required number of free
party invitations to you). The full venue address (including the
Postcode), your address (to send the invitations to), your
contact telephone number and e-mail address (for the
confirmation sheet).
What is the average price of the shows you offer?
The price for
any booking will vary dependant on two factors: the date and
travelling distance. All bookings in December and on festive
holidays are higher due to high demand for those periods.
Travelling time also has to be taken into account as I could be
performing several shows closer to home, in the same time I can
perform one show at a distance away.
While this
figure is not a quote, it is only meant as a rough guideline,
the minimum I charge for a show close to my home (SK3) is £130
for the one-hour magic & puppet show, £190 for two-hour magic,
puppets and dancing games party package, and £240 for
three-hours show which includes a circus skills workshop in the
third hour. This goes up depending on the travel time involved
and if the show is on Halloween, Christmas Day etc.
I also
usually only offer two-hour or longer packages at weekend. If
you only require a one-hour show, it is only usually only on a
weekday. I might do a one-hour show at a weekend if it fits
around a two-hour show that has already been booked so it is
still worth enquiring, but most often the demand for weekend
afternoon shows requires me to only offer the two-hour package
as the minimum.
I mainly work
in Stockport, Oldham, Cheshire and Manchester. I occasionally
cover the surrounding areas as well including Warrington, Crewe,
Liverpool, Bury, Rochdale etc.
However it
might be interesting to note that I do not charge 'per child'.
Unlike other entertainers who charge extra per each child in
attendance, my fee does not change if you invite 5 children or
500. I also suggest that you invite as many children as possible
as it makes for a more fun and active party with a good
guarantee on the number of attendees, along with the birthday
child getting more presents and being invited to more parties
themselves in the future.
The fee for a
series of bookings (a weekly after-school club for example) is
considerably different, please contact me to find out more.
Do I need to
pay a deposit?
Usually no
deposit is needed. However in some cases a deposit is requested
to secure your booking, this is often because it is on a busy
date off the year, booked a long time in advance or I am
travelling a distance to reach you. In such cases the deposit
will be requested during the initial telephone conversation and
can be paid via cheque and posted to the address shown on your
confirmation letter that you will receive. If you wish, a Paypal
(credit card) payment system has also been set-up for those that
prefer this form of payment. The deposit for all my shows is
£25, with the remaining of the fee payable on the day of the
event. To make a payment via Paypal, simply click the
following link:
Once the
deposit has been sent, you will be redirected to the 'Deposit
completed' page.
Provisional
Bookings
At no point
do I take provisional bookings, I work on a first-come
first-serve basis. I do not reserve times in the diary
until you make an actual booking with all relevant confirmation
sheets being sent out to accompany it.
Once you have
booked a timeslot with me, all other enquiries for that slot are
passed on to one of my fellow entertainers. Your booking is only
confirmed once you have received the confirmation sheet from me
with the show details on it, along with a relevant confirmation
number, which is sent usually within 48 hours of the booking
being made.
Please feel
free to call / e-mail me and ask as many questions about the
show as often as you like, but you have not made a booking until
you receive that confirmation sheet and anybody else can book me
instead until that is done.
Stephen is fully checked with the 'Criminal Reference Bureau' (CRB)
with an enhanced disclosure. This was last performed through the
a local entertainment agency in February 2011. Here is a copy of
the certificate should you need to see it. To save / print the
images, hover your mouse over the image and right-click. Then
select 'Save Target As...'
The link to the actual page
is here:
http://magicmystery.co.uk/posters/CRB2011.jpg
Stephen has Public Liability Insurance through Equity. This is
automatically renewed each year. It was last renewed in March
2011 up to the value of £10 million (which can be seen on the
card itself). Here is a copy of the certificate should you need to see
it. To save / print the images, hover your mouse over the image
and right-click. Then select 'Save Target As...'
The link to the actual
page is here:
http://magicmystery.co.uk/posters/equity2011.jpg
All of Stephen's equipment is PAT tested for electrical safety.
It was last renewed in July 2009. Here is a copy of the
certificate should you need to see it. To save / print the
images, hover your mouse over the image and right-click. Then
select 'Save Target As...'
The link to the actual page
is here:
http://magicmystery.co.uk/posters/patcertsjul09.pdf
Can you recommend a
good venue?
There are
hundreds of venues available to host your party, unfortunately
not all of them are easy to get in contact with. So with that in
mind, I have done my best to make a comprehensive list with
contact telephone numbers of all venues in the Stockport &
Manchester area. There are going to be some venues missing and
telephone numbers may have changed, but its a good place to
start your search. The list is here:
http://www.magicmystery.co.uk/venues.htm
Do you have any restrictions on photography or videoing the
show?
There are no
restrictions what-so-ever, you are welcome to take as many
photographs of the event that you wish, in fact Stephen will
often try to arrange a group photograph with all the children if
appropriate for your event. Any photographs you wish to share
with Stephen would be much appreciated.
The same
applies for videoing the show, you are most welcome to record it
all. I do however ask that should you video the full show, a
copy of the footage is sent to me for my own promotional
purposes.
The only
restriction on the video is that the footage must not leave your
possession without prior written permission by myself. It cannot
be sent to any TV channel such as 'You've been framed' or posted
on YouTube. This is strictly prohibited.
It is for your own use only.
Can you perform your show in houses or just village halls?
I can perform
my show in any size room from your house lounge to the church
and village halls. I do have a backdrop that I love to use, but
this can be left in the car if there is not enough space in the
house. I perform in houses all the times and in regards to the
two-hour shows, I have a smaller 'boom-box' type music system
with me to play music through, rather than the large speaker
system which is more suited for halls.
However, I
cannot perform in basements or cellars which are difficult to
get to. The magic box I use is big & heavy and cannot be moved
down winding staircases or awkward hallways. I wouldn't want to
risk accidently breaking something in your home by transporting
all the equipment through narrow spaces.
Can you
perform your show in the Garden?
Yes. However
there are a few exceptions such as when it is raining or
snowing. If it has rained the night before, it may leave the
grass wet. I cannot perform on wet or muddy grass as it would
damage all the magical apparatus. In such cases, indoor
alternatives will need to be made available.
Heavy wind
can also be a problem, along with distractions such as pets,
garden toys and swings. All toys must be packed away for
Stephen's show as anything that distracts the children's
attention will be stop them appreciating the entertainment he is
providing. Pets must also be kept away from the garden during
his performance.
A power
supply for the music system will also need to be available for
him.
How is
the birthday child made to feel special?
This is their
party and making them the star is my main priority. Upon
arriving, I will introduce myself to them in a comical way and
after setting up, usually play with them with balloons or
perform close-up magic (if appropriate).
They will be
the first child selected to help me in the magic show (if they
wish). They will then choose which off their family or friends
will help me in the proceeding tricks and usually get another
opportunity to help me at the end of the show also.
All the
attention will again be bought back to them for when we sing
happy birthday when they lead us into the games.
During the
games section, I will select the best games for your event. When
possible I like to play a game called 'Musical Birthday Child'
which requires them to come to the front and speak into the
microphone giving orders to their friends (aka Simon Says). They
are the star of this game and will receive a prize for taking
part. They will also lead the Conga Line at the end of the
party.
How do you last a full hour? - My kids won't sit still for 5
minutes!
My show is comedy based, and the children don't stop laughing
for the full duration. They don't get restless because there is
always something funny happening in the show. I also give the
children attention and make them feel special. This is something
they want to feel and will stay to be apart of it. There are
lots of opportunities for the children to take part in the show
and many will be the magicians assistant. These things combined
mean I keep control of my audience for the entire duration.
I have performed for over 16 years. I was a high-school teacher
and have written several books, and produced numerous DVDs on
entertaining children. I understand that many parents won't
believe it is possible for me to keep the children sat still for
a full hour (often even longer) but as a professional
entertainer / magician, I do this every day.
Do you
offer a one-hour magic and disco show?
No. The magic show is more than enough to fill an entire hour.
There is not enough time to squash everything into one-hour and
when I tried this, I found the children always wanted to see
more magic. The tricks I do make the children feel important,
and they have always preferred to see that.
The music system takes 30 minutes to setup and 30 minutes to put
away. It is therefore only used in the two-hour shows. Rest
assured that the second hour of party games is jam packed and
the children never have a moment to stop. Even when they are
eating the party food, I am busy making them all a balloon or
entertaining them with jokes.
Do you offer a 90-minute
show?
Yes, but it
is charged at the two hour rate. The same amount of equipment is
needed, with the same setting up and travelling time. So the
cost is the same as the two-hour show, even if you only want me
to perform for just 90 minutes.
Do
you provide the prizes and the pass-the-parcel?
Yes. All prizes and materials for the games are provided by
myself. These are often in the form of small toys that are made
for children. The prizes vary depending on what stock I have in
at the time. Small note on pass-the-parcel, I don't always play
this game. I have it with me, but when we have a music system
available, I find the children would much rather play a dancing
game with all their friends than to sit down and wait for a parcel to reach them. So I
only play the game if I feel it appropriate for the children.
What do
you do while the children are eating?
Stephen goes around the table and demonstrates smaller magic
tricks such as ring manipulation. He makes lots of jokes with
the children and often entertains with one of his puppets. He
can also use this opportunity to make modelling balloons for all
the children while they are eating if appropriate. The most
popular choices beings swords for the boys and rabbits /
butterfly's for the girls. If it is a very large audience, he
will play a 'Guess the song' game for all the children while
they eat.
Have you ever been on
television?
Yes. I was the 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent, where I
performed in front of the celebrity judges on the Salford Lowry
stage. You can also see footage of when I was performing on a
show called TX40 on my video page (Inside the 'Man of Magic
documentary).
What awards have you won?
In November
2009 I became the North West Close-Up Magic Champion for 2010. I
am also the 2008 & 2009 Manchester Cabaret Magician Winner. I
have won numerous other rewards including Second Place - North
West Close-Up Magic Champion 2011, Comedy Magician of the
Year 2003 and Magician of the year 2002. I was also in the
European Championships of Magic for 2010.
How do you take payment?
Payment is usually done in full on the
day of the event before the show starts. This can be in cash or
cheque (with guarantee card). The only exception to this is when
a deposit is paid in advance, and the outstanding money is
therefore paid in full on the day. Deposits are only requested
on special dates such as Christmas Day, Easter Day etc. and when
travelling great distances to an event (see above).
If you wish,
you can pay in advance of the booking which may be helpful to
you depending on the event (wedding, corporate functions etc.)
But for most birthday parties, payment is made in full, on the
day by cash or cheque.
What
happens if I need to cancel the party?
Since this is
my full-time profession, every booking is important to me as it
is my only source of income to pay my bills. If for any reason
you need to change the date or time, please contact me asap. If
I am available on the alternative date then we can happily
change the information across and there are no penalties / fees
etc. for that. Any changes to the time and date as long as I am
available is free.
If you wish
to cancel the party altogether, this must be done outside of
seven days of the event to have no penalty. There is no
cancellation fee for a cancellation a week prior to the date.
However, the
closer to the actual date it gets, means the less chance I have
of acquiring an alternative job. Understand that once a booking
is made with me, I have to turn all other clients away because
you have reserved that timeslot. Any cancellation within seven
days of the event will result in a cancellation fee of 50% of
the quoted fee. A cancellation on the actual day of the event
will result in the full fee still being made payable. This must
be sent by cheque (and I suggest recorded delivery) to my
address. I do keep all events on file with Equity who will
pursue any claims for me.
These same
rules also apply if you book me for an event, cancel the party
but forget to tell me. If I arrive at the venue and find I am
the only one there, actions will be taken to secure the full
performance fee. It is this reason that I advise any
cancellations are done in writing and sent recorded delivery for
your own protection.
Please don't be alarmed by this policy. It is standard procedure
with all entertainers, the venue you are hiring, when you call
out a plumber or builder, hire a vehicle etc. The same policy
applies with everybody as this is our livelihood and
unfortunately we have all have had several bad experiences with
people who took advantage of our trusting natures and ended up
being hurt financially because of it. It has forced me to
protect myself so that I can guarantee my services are best used
to ensure another child is having the best party of their life.
What if I cannot make
the show?
As I have
previously mentioned, this is my only business and sole source
of income. I will do everything possible for me to get to your
event and in the sixteen years I have been performing, I have
never let-down anyone yet. Your party is extremely important to
me and once you have booked me, I will do everything humanly
possible to be there.
But, I am
still human and unfortunately if the worst was to happen and I
am unable to perform due to breaking a leg for example or a
situation arises that demands my attention elsewhere which
cannot be avoided then I will do everything possible to find an
alternative entertainer for you. I will contact you as soon as
possible to let you know and prepare alternative activities. I
cannot guarantee another entertainer will be available, but if
able, I will call every entertainer I know to try and request
they step in for me.
If I cannot
find an entertainer to step in for me, I will help you as best
as I can for ideas on games you can play yourselves and
presuming I am still alive, I will also offer you a completely
free show on another available date of your choosing.
How do I
know you can handle the children?
I use to be a high-school ICT teacher and I work with children
every day at school, and in my shows.
I have been entertaining children with magic shows for over
sixteen years, and in 2007 taught classes in Magic at a summer
camp in America.
As a magician, I have won several awards including Magician of
the Year 2002, Comedy magician of the year 2003, Cabaret
Magician of the year 2008 & 2009, and North West Close-Up Magic
Champion 2010. Look around the site and you will see I have
produced many DVDs and written many books on the art of Magic
and working with children as a profession.
I have performed over a 3000 shows to audiences of just 1 to
1700, along with many schools and house parties. I have
performed for celebrities, on television and around the world on
the small stage to the grand theatres.
I am a full member of several magic societies including the
Magic Circle and the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Both these societies required an audition process which I passed
with flying colours.
Why
should I hire you and not Uncle Somebody?
I work with children every single day and I know how to make
them laugh. I have won magic awards, written numerous books, and
produced many DVDs which is all a unique achievement in the art
of magic.
I offer a selection of shows to cater for your party and also
offer a two hours disco and games package that very few
entertainers have.
I am also reasonably priced and have been performing for sixteen
years which means I have plenty of experience to draw upon to
make your show the most enjoyable possible.
My website also offers video of my show, so that you can see
what you are hiring and see that I am capable of doing what I
say. I know of no other entertainer that offers that.
I am thirty years of age, which means I can be energetic, lively
and engaging with the children. I will be dancing with them in
the games and actively involved with all the activities. This I
have found is a very unique trait amongst entertainers.
There is another Entertainer who is dearer or cheaper...
There are lots of plumbers and builders in the world, and some
offer cheaper rates than others. But what you get for those
cheap rates is low quality wood that fall to pieces under
pressure.
With magic, that saying is just as true. You can find young
magicians starting out who charge very little, but ruin your
party. They expose all the tricks, bore the audience, cannot
keep control and often end up shouting at your child.
My rate is set to cater for the common parents. I could charge a
lot more, but I prefer to have a rate that is affordable for
most households.
The difference between me and the young magician is experience,
awards and qualifications. With me you are paying to draw on
that wealth of talent and experience which only I can provide.
There are also magicians that charge three times the rates I do.
These magicians are actually less qualified than me! But check
out their websites and you will see for yourself. I also find
cheaper prices and great shows brings about more repeat bookings
in the following years.
I do this job as my full-time profession and it is my only
income.
What games do you play?
While there are many original games in my repertoire, I often
stick to the familiar party games that the children are already
aware off. It saves time having to teach them the rules and gets
straight to the fun parts. For this reason, we play games like
Musical Bumps, Musical Statues, Hokey Cokey, The Conga and Pass
the Parcel.
These games are played slightly differently to keep everybody
involved throughout the game and not eliminate any children as
it keeps them more controlled and having fun.
We will also play several dancing games, where I show them the
dance, and the children repeat it after me. Games like Cha Cha
Slide, Superman and Music Man.
These games are great for getting the nervous children
participating, as they don’t have to make their own dance, they
copy the same thing all their friends are doing and so it gets
more children joining in.
I provide all
the prizes for these games.
What food do you
suggest we serve?
Sandwiches always go down well, and can be prepared the night
before. Ham, Cheese and Jam are often the most popular. If
possible, avoid all hot food as you may not have the facilities
to heat it, and if you do, you might not be able to heat enough
for every child at the same time. This means different children
get served at different moments and ruins the flow of any party
because children will still be eating when others have finished.
Biscuits and cup cakes for desert are also advised as they are
clean foods. Ice cream and jelly sound like fun, but when the
ice-cream melts and the children ruin there clothes it can lead
to tears and a big clean-up operation. Foods with the potential
to cause a mess should be avoided if possible.
I would suggest:
Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
Jam Sandwiches
Small Sausage Rolls
Sausage / Cheese on a stick
Carrots
Celery
Biscuits (Jammy Dodgems)
Mini Swiss Rolls
Popcorn
Cup Cakes
I also
strongly suggest you have the food ready on the children's plate
for when they approach the table. Do not have a buffet line and
expect the children to line up, place food on a plate and
carefully balance that plate back to a dining table where they
then have to fine a space to sit. Not only does most food
get wasted, dropped on the floor and leads to crying children,
but it also drags out the amount of time it takes for the
children to eat, as quite often the child at the front of the
line has finished eating before the child at the back of the
line has even reached the buffet table. A buffet is fine with
adults, but not for children. They would much prefer the food
being ready on the plates at the table or in lunch boxes at
their seats.
Large serving
plates of food are okay, as long as that includes multiple
plates of the same food item ready for them at the tables so
that everyone can get what they want immediately. If they are
waiting for the plate of sandwiches to reach them, it delays how
soon they can start and it will drag out the eating time.
When the food
is kept simple, all served at the same time ready for them on
the plate as they approach the table, they usually take ten
minutes to eat which means we can play lots of dancing games and
have more fun, taking more advantage of my services. When food
such as pizza and ice-cream is served, and it is buffet style
serving, there have been occasions when the entire second half
of the show was spent eating and we didn't play any games
because we ran out of time. We want to avoid this whenever
possible.
What do you
suggest regarding balloons?
Always have some balloons on the front door and gate of the
venue, as it tells your guests where the party is. Many parties
have been slow starters because the guest couldn't find the
building or the front door. This is especially necessary with
scout huts located down alleyways.
Several balloons on the floor are great visuals and help set the
party atmosphere. Stephen will often use them to engage and
entertain the children prior to the show also. But it is very
important that all the balloons have a place to be stored during
the duration of the actual performance, preferably in another
room. To maintain the children's interest and attention, it is
vital that all distractions are removed from the room, this
includes balloons, bouncy castles, toys etc. If there is
anything to distract the children from the show, it would cause
their attention to wonder and lose interest in the entertainment
I am there to provide.
When should we do
the birthday cake?
The birthday cake is best done after they have finished eating
are sat back done in front of the show area. This is the moment
that all the children are calm and focused and can sing
together. The birthday child comes back to the front so that
they are the centre of attention and everyone is in a good
position for photographs. After the singing, the you can take
the cake back to the kitchen and and place the slices into party
bags while we play the party games.
Should I get a bouncy
castle?
Every time I have performed at an event with a bouncy castle,
the children get very hyperactive, are difficult to control, and
eventually someone always gets hurt. They jump off and land on
the hard floor, or try climbing on the walls. The children (and
adults) love to bounce on them, but if you want to try and limit
injuries and keep firm control of the party I would avoid them.
If you plan on hiring a bouncy castle along with a magician such
as myself, it is best to turn the castle off during the show as
they are a huge distraction and very noisy. They also take up a
lot of space.
My two-hour show is more than enough entertainment and a bouncy
castle is definitely not needed.
Should the birthday child open the presents at the party?
No. I have been to too many parties where one child forgot to
bring a present and felt bad the entire party. Also, the price
value of presents has become a problem in the past. Some
children bring money, while others cannot afford high price toys
and get laughed at for their gift by the other guests.
Some children don't understand the idea of present giving, and
want the toy back which they gave away, as they believe it is
theirs. This is a very awkward situation and usually ends in
tears.
You also have to remember that it creates a mess, and while the
birthday child is opening presents, the other 19 children are
running around like headless chickens.
We also cannot start the party without the birthday child, who
won't come until they have finished opening all their presents,
which can take a very long time.
It is best to avoid opening the presents in front of the others
children, and use the time to play games instead.
How
many children should I invite to the party?
Invite the entire school if possible. Nothing is worst than a
party with just a few children. Some friends will be busy and
won't be able to attend. Therefore it is important to invite as
many as possible to ensure you have a good turnout. In regards
to my show, the more the better. It helps encourage the shy
children to join in the dancing games when so many of their
friends are joining in already. I have done children's parties
with over 100 children squashed into a tiny room, and my price
doesn't change for the number of children, so I strongly advise
you invite everybody. Also, it means the birthday child gets
more gifts!
The only difference it makes for me is whether I have to use a
microphone or not, and whether I make all the children a balloon
animal. It takes a minute to make each sculpture and I can only
make one balloon at a time. It means the one child I am
entertaining is happy, and the other children are running around
the room like horses. If there are too many children, it will
take up too much time in the party and so I will not make any
balloons to keep the children together and in control. But don't
let the balloons stop you from inviting the entire school, the
children have a lot more fun with more friends around to join in
that fun.
It also means
the birthday child receives more presents, gets more friends at
school and is invited to more parties themselves.
Another important reason to
invite everybody in the child's class is to prevent bulling. I
know the prospect of having lots of children at your party can
be daunting, but if you don't invite everybody, the ones that
weren't invited will feel left out, unwanted and bully the child
who did not invite them. Its a sad case, but it has happened on
many occasions. There have even been occasions when the parents
were bullied because another parents child wasn't invited.
If the size of your house is
a problem, then there are hundreds of venues to choose from, and
many are completely free. Just think, if you were the child not
invited to a party that everyone else in your class attended,
how would it make you feel? - So invite everybody. Some won't be
able to make it, but for some it will be the only party they may
ever get to and they will be eternally grateful - as will your
child who receives more presents!
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