Talk of the RoomEntertainment

Close-up magic

Magic that happens in your guests' hands

Close-up magic is performed a few inches from the audience, to small groups, often with borrowed objects and in the guests’ own hands. It needs no stage, no lighting and no break in the evening.

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Illustration of a drinks reception: two guests holding glasses lean in as a magician presents a playing card beside a tall cocktail table, lit by an arched window.

01 What it is

Small groups, real astonishment

A close-up magician approaches a group of four to eight guests, performs for a few minutes and moves on to the next group. Playing cards, coins, rings and borrowed items are the usual tools.

The strongest moments happen in a guest’s hand rather than the magician’s, which is why the reactions are so genuine. And because the magic travels to the guests, it works where a stage show would not: crowded receptions, tables mid-dinner, exhibition stands, terraces and marquees.

A guest at a dinner table reacts as a red sponge ball appears in his hand, while the woman beside him laughs.
Guests at an event performed by our founder, Pete James.

02 Formats

Where close-up magic works

Illustration of a drinks reception: two guests holding glasses lean in as a magician presents a playing card beside a tall cocktail table, lit by an arched window.

Arrival and drinks

Receptions

Magicians move between groups as guests arrive, giving people something to talk about before anyone has found their table.

Illustration of a seated dinner: three guests at a round table set with plates, glasses and candles, in a panelled room with tall windows, watch as a magician standing at the table fans out a deck of cards.

Between courses

Table to table

Performers visit each table between courses, timed with the venue team so service is never held up.

Illustration of an exhibition stand drawn from above at an angle: a magician at the counter holds up a card as two delegates wearing lanyards stop to watch.

Daytime events

Exhibition stands

Short, repeatable sets draw delegates to your stand and hand them over to your team mid-conversation.

Conferences and exhibitions

03 Why it works

Why it gets people talking

  • It breaks the ice. Strangers who have watched the same impossible moment have something to talk about.
  • It never interrupts. Guests carry on eating, drinking and networking around it.
  • It reaches everyone. With the right number of performers, every group gets its own moment.
  • It is remembered. A card that changes in your own hand stays with you longer than background entertainment.
Guests at a reception table laugh as a magician performs close beside them.

04 Questions

Questions organisers ask

Is close-up magic suitable for a formal event?

Yes. Performers adjust their volume and style to the room, and a formal dinner suits a quieter, more polished approach.

Do guests have to take part?

Never. Magicians read each group and work with the guests who are keen. Anyone who would rather watch simply watches.

Does the venue need to provide anything?

Nothing beyond access and somewhere to leave coats and cases. Close-up magic needs no stage, power or lighting.

Enquiries

Tell us about your event

Send the date, the venue and roughly how many guests you expect. We will come back with a plan and a quote.

We reply to every enquiry personally within one working day.

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