Magicians in England

Gordon Wardle Magician performs amazing interactive magic and mind-reading for small groups at each table or at a bar area. Read on to find out about his interesting history and some great insights on what to ask and check when looking to book a magician for an event

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

Once I know the date, location, how many guests, and the type of event (party, wedding, corporate event, etc.) I will work with you to tailor my performance to best suit your needs.
I perform walkaround magic while guests are gathering at a drinks reception and also table magic where I spend a few minutes performing at each table. The best times for me to perform are during the 'down times' when guests are free to mingle after a meal or after any formalities or speeches.
I need to understand the timing of your event (which may only be tentative at this stage) so that I am not expected to perform while guests are eating, or shouting at your guests over the top of a loud disco.
I tailor my performances to include any children that may be present but I do not take bookings specifically for children's parties.

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Anyone who knows a few magic tricks can call themselves a magician. You would be very disappointed if your magician turns out to be ten-year-old with no people skills and no experience.
Being a member of a magic circle shows that they are serious about their art and have successfully passed the audition.
You should also check if the magician carries Personal Liability Insurance which protects you and is occasionally a requirement of some venues.
Do not book a magician solely on the cheapest price. Research their style of magic, their experience, their previous recommendations. Visit their website or Facebook pages to see more information about them.
Does the magician offer to work with you before the event or do they just expect to turn up, perform, take your money and leave.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

I have been an amateur magician for many years. I performed in pubs, clubs and restaurants and at birthdays and weddings. I was mostly performing for charity donations while employed as an infrastructure project manager for a large IT company.
in 2018 I decided to 'live the dream' and accepted a very generous redundancy package which gave me the opportunity, the time and the money to become a professional magician.
My Unique Selling Point is the way I perform in a clever, witty, inclusive manner. Adapting my magic, mid-flight, to respond to ad-lib comments and to all the different types of audience (e.g. couples, families, business associates, children, students, OAPs, stag night, etc.)

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

I have had several bookings that have been arranged through the Add to Event service and I am working with several more interested clients where they are actively considering me for their event.
For any event there are many essentials that need to be sorted. A magician is one of those 'nice-to-have' extras and quite often the magician may be booked at short notice. A recent client contacted me though this site one week before their event not expecting they would find anyone and was surprised that I was available and that my fee was much less than they had expected.
Another client had a very small budget and booked me for only 1 hour. Since I had no other commitments, and guests were very keen to see more magic, I stayed for a lot longer at no cost and the organiser was very grateful.