Hospitality suite entertainment at the F1 Last weekend was again the F1 in Singapore. A lot of companies, especially banks take this opportunity to connect with their most important clients and invite them to a hospitality suite with great food and usually access to the race or the pre-qualifying. I have in the past provided […]
Part 2 of 3 on tips how to get the most out of corporate entertainment Singapore that you engage for your events.
4. Remove Tall Centerpieces on the Table
While tall center pieces look beautiful , they can also obstruct the view of your guests. This is also a barrier for inter-table communication. When your guests cannot see what is going on at the stage they will lose interest and start talking among themselves and this will have a negative impact on the performance. If tall centerpieces cannot be avoided then make sure that you ask the banqueting staff to place them to one side before the show and return them after the show has ended.
5. Stop the Service During the Show
Whether it is a free bar or not, people at events enjoy drinking. But people moving around during a stage show are disruptive to everyone in the room. The best way to handle this is to have the bar closed during the stage show. We recommend covering the bar with a table cloth, allowing people to see at a distance that the bar is currently closed. Furthermore don’t have the bar at different location than where the show will take place. Especially after dinner your guests will be there instead of watch the performance that you paid for.
Also announce the temporary closure at least half an hour before the show begins, it allows your guests the chance to grab a drink or two to keep at the table.
For a western style dinner the show should begin either after the main course or after dessert when service has concluded.
In case of a Chinese style dinner the show should begin after the dishes and main course (rice and noodles) and when the fruit has been served. The service should stop at this time.
In general keep in mind that when people are eating they will not pay any attention to what is taking place on stage. If you don’t want to interrupt the service it might be better just to have live music instead of an audience participation act like a comedian, magician, juggler etc.
6. Never Have a Break Immediately Before the Show
Some people will lose track of time during the break and not return on time. People arriving part way through the show will disturb the enjoyment for the other guests. If people need a break to use the facilities they will do so as and when they need to.
stay tuned for part 3
You are the organizer for an event that needs stage show entertainment. The venue is booked, the guest lists have been sent out, the entertainment has been hired…and there is nothing else to do, or is there?
Many times, stage shows that incorporate the audience, such as comedians, magicians and mind readers, can be destroyed by a few little things. However, a lot of organizers are not aware of them and that they can make or break a show at an event.
If you are thinking of booking a stage magic show or other stage entertainer, or you have booked one for your next event, here are tips that will make your event and the magic show even better:
A stage show can be extremely interactive, this is especially true of comedians, comedy magicians or mind readers. This means that the audience should be as close as possible to the stage.
The event manager at the venue will often place a dance floor between the tables and the stage. If you notice this, ask the banqueting staff to move all of the tables closer to the stage. You are in charge so you can demand this!
This is the follow up to ‘keep your audience close‘. People naturally tend to stay away from the very front tables, and as a result, if there is a deficit of guests, the front tables will be inadequately populated. This creates another empty zone between the tables and the stage, limiting audience interaction and slowing down the flow and pace of the performance.
A good trick is to place ‘Reserved’ signs on the tables furthest away from the stage until the tables closest to the stage are full.
Hotel, restaurant, conference center staff will always try to fill the room by spreading out the tables and chairs to use up the space. This type of distancing might utilize the space but doesn’t build a connected room for a show. In a theater or comedy club people feel connect thru the proximity to the other audience members. It is better for your event, and the entertainment, if there is an atmosphere of intimacy. This is true not only for theaters of comedy but for small or large function rooms in hotels or other venues.
You are the customer and the venue staff are there to ensure that you get what you require. Not the other way around!
Stay tuned for part 2
Last Sunday I was back to do a magic show Singapore at the Sunday Brunch at Mezza9. Since I have been there over a year I get quite a lot of repeat customers. The question that I am asked by other magicians what to do if they have seen all your regular tricks. Well I see myself at the Hyatt as a magician but more importantly as a host. Regular guests I welcome back and have a talk with them what they have been doing, travel etc. Most often then not I don’t perform at all. If they request something I will, especially if they brought a friend or relative and then I just ask what I did last time and do an effect they don’t remember. My objective is to make them feel welcome at the brunch and to have a good time, the magic is only the icing on the cake and I am rather remembered as Stefan than as a guy who does tricks…
Last week I was hired as close up magician Singapore at a private birthday party at the Grand Hyatt. The person who hired me had seen me before at the Mezza9 Sunday brunch. It was a small group of 10 people in a function room at the Hyatt. I decide to do 30 min Parlor Show. This type of show is ideal for a smaller function that is hosted in a restaurant or at your home, like a private party or a company dinner event. The show is a mix of close up and effects that can be played for audience up to 80 people. I can be played almost any environment and the client does not have to prepare anything. The show went well and I had a great time with my audience.
Last week I performed for Greenlam at the launch of the new laminate collection. It was a cocktail event and they booked the roving magician package. The event was held at Bugis Plus in a theater on the 7th floor. I have been to that building many time but I had no idea that it has a great block theater in there. It was a cocktail event and my job was to entertain Greenlam’s clients while they were waiting for the launch. I created my usual customized card effect using the Greenlam logo. However the challenge the client had given me was to incorporate their new collection in a presentation as well. I came up with a mind reading effect using the 12 new laminates. I showed the participant a list with the laminates and an envelope. They thought of one of the laminates on the list. I opened the envelope and inside was a piece of paper with their selected laminate written on it. The client was happy with the customized presentation and I will add this trick to my performance at the Grand Hyatt using items from the brunch menu.
This week I was hired to do a stage show at the AOCC Commissioning Ball, at the W hotel on Sentosa. All guys in Singapore are called to serve the nation in the army, doing whatever guys are supposed to do best. At the end of the 2 year term the officer cadets have a ball. I was part of the event entertainment doing 2 sets of 20 min during the dinner. The MC that night was one of the local celebrities Chua Enlai. He is a Singaporean stage and television actor, best known for his work on the Mediacorp Channel 5 sitcom The Noose. The closing act was Hossan Leong a Singaporean TV Host and comedian. I enjoy other event entertainment acts, because it gives you the opportunity to see how they structure their show and how they communicate with the audience. Since I am a foreigner in Singapore I always try to find out what works and what doesn’t. I still have a lot of work to do for my stage act and it is not about the tricks.
Mind reading with an audience member:
I would say 80 percent of my work as a corporate magician is at cocktail parties prior or sometimes during the dinner or party. The advantages of a strolling magicians are clear. The client does not have to reserve a specific slot during dinner where everyone in the audience has to focus on stage. There is no set up and the performance is usually only done for people who want to see something. Last week I was performing at MICE Awards 2014 at Gardens by the Bay at the Flower Field Hall. Below are some pictures that I took before and during the event. Unfortunately no action shots. I hope to get some from a photographer who was taken pictures at the event.
Last weekend I did a show at private event at the Marriott Hotel in Singapore. It was a solemnization of marriage. The audience were all Singaporeans and some selected guests from China. When you work as a Magic performer Singapore you almost always have a mixed bag of people. Since I only speak German, English and some Japanese I face sometimes the challenge to have a table, like in this case where nobody speaks the language. For this reason I added a couple of effects to my my performance repertoire that are visual and do not rely on language. Sure the performance of these pieces is better when you can communicate but sometimes this is not possible and I see it as my job to be able to still entertain the clients.
This week I had a terrific performance. I performed at 16 tables and about 50 percent were requested. I had a bunch of repeat clients who brought friends to the brunch and see the performance – this is great for restaurant magicians because things like this keep you in business. I also had the pleasure to meet a client of mine who had booked me for other events in the past. She heard from my newsletter that I am performing at the Grand Hyatt Singapore and came with her husband and friends to see the performance. I recently created a new handout. It is basically my business card but I can attach a playing to the inside and I can write a personal message. I think that people rather keep that than just a playing card. Let’s see after I have handed out the first 500 what the responses are.