Magician, Entertainer - Brett Sirrell

Not compalining about repeat bookings but it does feel like Deja Vu,  an early start leaving at 5am with a start in London at 8am.  The parade always looks great.  From an entertainers point of view its more about meeting up with the other entertainers you havnt seen for a while, than the entertainment itself.

The rest of the week has been quiet,  i think the conversation of the week has  to be the person that rung up for a quote.  She said”thats just out of our budget,  I know a magician that would charge half that amount but they do really crap tricks! We could have him but we don’t want crap tricks!”

Sunday, a small but very fun Christening Lunch party at The Kingham plough. A small group of about 20 guests plus 6 children.  In a superb pub/restaurant in Kingham in the Cotswolds.  The atmosphere was superb, and if i say so myself the  magic worked.  One of those days where everything seemed to fit in to place.  Tricks flowed very naturally and smooth.  Also balloons for the children.

This morning i got probably the nicest thank you letters i have received.

Brett - You were absolutely brilliant yesterday.  Thank you so much.  You kept all of us (of all ages) wonderfully entertained, in such a clever, funny and utterly mind-boggling way.  And without in any way interrupting the flow of the party and our conversations.  Fantastic!  Everyone is now looking for an excuse to have  party - just to be able to invite you back!  You made a great gathering even more enjoyable and memorable, and Emma and I are huge fans and enormously grateful to you.  With best wishes - Mark

PS - As we were leaving, I overheard the young barmaid to whom you gave a balloon flower saying that it was one of the nicest presents anyone had ever given her, and so much better than the real thing!  You made all of us feel special.

Saturday David and Gareth launched the office christmas parties at Derby County Foutball club at pride park.  Amazing magic, Tim looked Great, Gareth even better. Might even get some footage on their website http://www.dcfc.co.uk Totally amazed a few people with some magic as well.

Straight after that i headed home, repacked the car with Tanx for a freshers party in Loughbourough for a ver slow 3hrs of Tanx radio control tank battles.

Then the following morning up and workig early at the banbury can day as crazy wizards with steve Kaos.  http://www.banburycanalday.co.uk/Canal_Day_2009/canal_day_2009.htm

What Fun!

The first half of Aug was quiet enough,  then suddenly things got busier than expected.  Starting with a 1st Anniversary party waking up my close up magician skills.  Then a Tanx Radio control Tank battle event.  Then on monday more magic at a rather nice wedding at Birtsmorton court.  Working along side Richard Ellis the caricaturist. 

A company relation team building chill out day on Tues,  running tanx again and other entertainment.  Another great day.  Then apart from Saturday close up magic at old Trafford it was street shows and shopping centre entertainment all week.  Trying to wake up audiences of families who just wanted an end to the school holidays.  

Maybe next week i will get some time off!  I may ring Russ Stokes and chat magic with him this week.  Who knows!

Monday a repeat from last year, Victorian Policemen on stilts out side the Royal Courts of Justice,  the ones you see on TV often enough.  We send off the Lawyers for a 10k walk around London and then welcome them back at The Law Society where they have drinks etc. 

A bit of a tough crowd but as i say it was a repeat booking so we were expecting it, they are lawyers after all!

They also book magicians and I did get the magicians to do us some magic for us.  Turned out to be an ego building exercise for myself and my magic!   London magicians you would have thought might have a bit more charisma or wow factor, but no.  Why do magicians have to wear ties with cards on them?  Do they really think its enough to get a card chosen then find it again?  A colour change that my cat could have done better!  On its own its vaguely interesting,  maybe to see your mates do this but if you are being hired as a professional magician then surely you are expected to do a little more?   At least use a fresh deck of cards that doesn’t look like its been used since the stone ages, signed cards add a little more to the trick and makes it more personal at least.  Then maybe do something interesting with the chosen card!  Its good to compare other magicians working and the level of magic “out there”  being performed, but its rather disappointing to see such a poor standard of magician in the business.  If they were plumbers they would very quickly be on BBC rogue traders!

Tomorrow Deep sea divers on stilts, courtesy of Martin Long at www.Larkinabout.net . A new shopping centre in Gloucester.

Last week started with a trip to London,  wet up with Jem, Steve Kaos and Mark Russel.  Meet and greet magic  followed by 10 min stand up spot after dinner.  Jem and Steve were on stilts and Mark was juggling, myself performing magic.

Performing close magic with others around me doing juggling and crazy stuff was great. I found the guests expected something a bit more fun than the usual serious expectations of  “a serious magician”.  This suits me down to a tee.  Coming from the same place as the others,  i always think the magic should be fun and a little bit silly, of course people know its not magic but if the trick is really baffling then it gives the fun just an added dimension.

After dinner i performed the head chopper illusion for the first time.  I built it a few months ago now and i haven’t had a chance to put it in a real situation yet.  It really has a strong effect for something so simple,  and the routine had everybody clapping and some people with their head in their hands with anticipation!  When the cucumbers get chopped its such a cool moment!!

Tanx Radio Control Tank Battle

Wednesday Tanx team building with a money bonanza fun day at Cadburys.  They looked great in the sunshine!  I did buy some new tents so if need be i can be completely covered now.  The buildings are getting a make over as well.  So very soon they will be looking like new!

Then on Sunday was a wedding,  about 40 people from the daytime.  Some magic for the first bit,  with balloons later.  I think the Bride and Groom wanted an emphasis on the balloons as they ha children and there were a number of children there. 

Nice end to the week.  Coming up, the last game /corporate magic at old trafford and a repeat from  a few years ago. 

Ta!

Well from being stupidly quiet to no time at all to do anything. The best Magician bits in summary Week Last Thurs took and agency Magician booking, when i turned up the Event organiser said “we are really looking forward to your act”  this sounds suspicious! “we have never had a magician that rides a unicycle at the same time”. Yes he was serious!  I don’t know what the Entertainment agenthad told him but I didn’t want to know! 

Mid week was Magic  Man utd.  i thought i would be OK travelling back all the matrix signs were empty and the road was relatively quiet.  Then the matrix signs show “queue after junction”  about 100 yards from the junction!  Totally useless!  No other warnings! so i sat on the M6 again at 12 am for 45 mins!  Why cant we sort out the roads in this country!

Thur, Brunel University Sports ball!  Again stuck in flippin traffic at 12pm at night! Totally pointless!  Although not so bad this time. Between courses they had awards and presentations, and then the rest of the time they were “pumped”. Although saying this,  it was like working with the apples from the tree, as they were so fresh and unsuspecting.  Had some real David Blaine style USA reactions!  Went over and magic-ed did the Rugby Players table.  The organiser afterwards said “you were brave!..but i noticed them go quiet when you finished (the stunned silence!!!) “ 

Then the weekend was a superb wedding,  Bride and Groom looked great.  I did something for the Bride at one point and she gave the best reaction in the world,  even better the photographer was on hand to capture the moment! 

Tomorrow, Magic in London with the guys! Steve Kaos etc!

Just got back from a fun charity ball hosted by the Royal Bank of Scotland.  Magic around the tables 13 tables for 1hr.  I was booked to do close up for 1hr but of course i ended up doing more as usual. 

Royal Bank of Scotland - arnt they running out of money at the moment?  That’s what i though as i watched £100,000 of firworks lighting up the sky above the Chateau Impney Hotel.  Anyway a good night, some real fun tables. 

I have also just read a blog from another magician waffling on about awards and how some magicians will quote “award winning”  even if its just a swimming award.  He then went on to quote all the magic stuff he had won awards for.   This is of course for impressing magicians? When it comes to entertaining real people with magic that looks magical and is fun to watch then that’s miles away from being a magician and awarding another magician for some super technical trick.  So for that reason i am VERY proud to say i have never won any awards for my magic and hopefully you will never see “award winning” on my website - I am always too busy concentrating on entertaining real people with exciting magical magic. (they dont do awards, they just clap!)