Magician in Reigate for receptions and dinners
A welcome drink, a long table and a lot of people who've only just been introduced. Close-up magic turns that first awkward hour into the best part of the night.
Most people who book a magician in Reigate want him for one of two moments: the drinks before a meal, or the meal itself. They're the stretches of any event where guests are fixed in place, half listening to a conversation and half wondering what happens next. A few minutes of magic changes that.
Lewis Joss is a close-up magician and a Member of The Magic Circle. Over drinks he moves between standing groups, and at dinner he works from table to table between courses. He uses cards, coins, rings and phones borrowed from your guests, and he needs nothing from the venue at all, not even a corner of the room. The magic comes to your guests wherever they happen to be, glass in hand or fork halfway to their mouth.
On this page
Client dinners and company receptions with a magician in Reigate
Corporate dinners are where close-up magic earns its keep. A client evening, a partners' dinner, an awards night, a reception after a conference. The guests often don't know each other well, the hosts are busy, and the first half hour can be stiff. Lewis gets into the groups early and gives everyone something to react to.
Over the welcome drinks, he works the room in short sets of a few minutes. He'll often pull two groups together for one trick, which is a handy way of introducing your sales director to the client she's been trying to meet all night.
Once people sit down, he goes table to table. He starts as starters are cleared and moves round in time with the kitchen, so the service never stalls. Before the speeches or the awards, he's gone. Then he's back with the bar crowd afterwards if you'd like.
He's played some well known rooms, including the Royal Air Force Club and Hyde Park in London, and clients have included Mercedes-Benz and Toys "R" Us. He's also worked with companies to promote their brands, so a trick can feature your logo or product if that's the brief.
Christmas parties follow the same shape, just louder. If your firm's do is on a Friday in December, get the date checked early. More on corporate entertainment for work events of all sizes.
From the wedding toast to the last course
Weddings follow the same rhythm as a formal dinner. First the drinks reception, while the couple are off with the photographer, then the wedding breakfast with its gaps between courses. They're both perfect for close-up magic.
At the reception, Lewis moves through your guests in small groups, a few minutes at a time. It keeps the energy up and gives the two sides of the family something to talk about besides how they know the couple.
At the tables, he works between courses and stays clear of the speeches. A wedding magician in Reigate who's done this many times knows how to read a room, so he'll skip a table deep in conversation and come back to it later.
If you've a long gap between the ceremony and the meal, that's when a magician in Reigate is worth the most. Guests who'd otherwise be counting the minutes until they can sit down end up crowded round a card trick instead, and the time disappears.
Some couples add an hour in the evening for guests who arrive after dinner. You'll find more about booking him for a wedding, including how couples usually split his time. Evening guests have missed the whole day, so a bit of magic at the bar while the band sets up makes them feel welcome straight away.
Birthday dinners and family celebrations
Plenty of family parties are dinners too. A sixtieth in a private dining room, an anniversary lunch, a christening meal at a hotel. A magician in Reigate going round the table between courses is a lovely way to keep a long meal moving.
He pitches every trick at the people in front of him. Children get to help and shout the magic word, teenagers get something they'll want to film and grandparents get it at a pace they can enjoy. Whoever you're celebrating can be the star of a trick or just watch, whichever suits them.
A buffet works a little differently. Instead of tables, he works the queue and the people standing with plates, which is where guests are most glad of a distraction. When it's time for the cake or a toast, he stops, lets the room have its moment, then carries on.
Christenings get the gentlest version of all. With a baby in the room there's nothing loud and nothing that needs the lights down, and older brothers and sisters tend to end up as his helpers for the afternoon.
Parties at home work as well. The dining table becomes his stage, more or less, and there's nothing to set up. Read about family party magic here.
What makes a good dinner booking
- Start with the drinks That's when guests are standing, mixing and most in need of an icebreaker.
- Carry on into dinner Table magic between courses reaches anyone he missed while they were at the bar.
- Timed with the kitchen He works round service, so no plates go cold while he's at a table.
- Out before the speeches Whether it's a best man or a managing director, he never steps on a toast.
- Seen on BGT 2024 He was on Britain's Got Talent with Jay & Joss, which gives guests something extra to chat about.
Reigate venues and the surrounding area
Lewis travels all over Surrey, so you can book a magician in Reigate for whatever venue you've chosen. A dinner might be at a hotel such as Reigate Manor Hotel or Hartsfield Manor, or at a golf club like Chipstead Golf Club or Surrey National Golf Club. He works in among the guests, so the size of the dining room doesn't matter. Plenty of people simply book the back room of a restaurant or have friends round for dinner.
He also covers Redhill, Epsom and Leatherhead, and the rest of the county is on the Surrey page. If you've ended up here searching for a magician in Reigate but the event is in the next town over, it's the same booking.
A few quick answers
Is a magician in Reigate better at the drinks or the dinner?
Both work, for different reasons. Drinks reach people as they mingle, dinner reaches every table in turn. With a big guest list, booking both means nobody misses out. If you can only fit one in, a magician in Reigate at the drinks reception reaches the most people in the shortest time.
Will he interrupt the meal service?
No. He works between courses and keeps clear of waiting staff. He'll check the timings with the venue so he's never at a table when plates are arriving. With a plated meal served in waves, he simply follows the waiting staff round.
Can a magician in Reigate work at a formal awards dinner?
Yes. He works the reception and the tables, then disappears completely for the awards. He's used to tight running orders. Send him the order of the evening and he'll suggest where he's most useful.
Does he do weddings in Reigate?
He does. The drinks reception is the usual starting point, and many couples add the wedding breakfast. He'll fit round your photographer and your speeches. Evening guests can have their turn too if you add an hour later on.
Will children at a birthday lunch enjoy it?
Very much so. Children get to join in and adults get the more baffling stuff. Each table gets something pitched at whoever's sitting there. Parents often say a magician in Reigate visiting the table was the moment the kids stopped fidgeting.
Is there anything the restaurant has to arrange?
Nothing. He brings everything in his pockets. A note to your events contact about timings is the only preparation. He'll arrive a little early, look at the room and work out the best route round it.
Got a dinner in the diary?
Send us the date, the venue and roughly how many guests, and we'll check if Lewis is free to be your magician in Reigate. Simple as that, really.
What people say about Lewis
We had Lewis perform at our Christmas party and he was fantastic. His interaction with people was great and the close up magic he performed had people in amazement. Would highly recommend
Lewis absolutely transformed our event and made it a day to remember! He managed to capture everyone's attention and engage with all ages. I really didn't expect such a huge impact, but let's just say that my guests are still talking about how amazing he is a month later! Thank you Lewis for making my…
Lewis was amazing at capturing the attention of about 20 seven year olds with close-up magic for a whole hour where they remained calm and quiet for the whole time. Their parents were equally, if not more excited by it!