ENTERTAINERS
When arranging a party you may well consider engaging additional entertainment, such as a magician, a bouncy castle or ball pond, for the amusement of your guests. The first thing most people ask is, who should I book? Will they be of the standard that you require? The best way to engage an entertainer, etc. is through recommendation. Ask the other mums when taking the children to school who they have either seen or perhaps personally had to perform at their parities. You will soon get an idea of who to, or more importantly who not to book. News about a good quality children's' entertainer travels fast.
You may end up with quite a list after this enquiry, ending up more confused than when you first started. If recommendations are not forthcoming, and you need to look elsewhere, try the Yellow Pages, and local papers under entertainers or if on the Internet try SCOOT (telephone: 0800 192192 or Website: www.scoot.co.uk). But remember, having an advert in the local paper or Yellow Pages should not be taken as a sign of quality. Anyone can set themselves up as a children's' entertainer with a very small amount of knowledge and even less practice and many do. Adverts in local papers etc., only mean that these individuals are hungry for work.
Only engage an entertainer when you are completely happy with the services they have to offer. The variety of items within a performance will differ greatly from performer to performer. Don't just accept the first available one that you ring, even though they may have been recommended to you. There are many factors that you need to consider before committing yourself, and making a decision. So copy down on a piece of paper as you talk to them their replies, so you can compare them at a later stage. Remember the better the service they offer, the greater amount of lead time you will need to allow when engaging their services. So to be safe, start six weeks beforehand. Good entertainers get booked up very quickly.
AVAILABILITY (to top)
This should really be the very first question you ask. There is little point in holding a long conversation ending in a decision upon your part to book them, only to be disappointed when you find that they are already engaged on that day. However if this possibility does occur, you may wish to change your party time to accommodate the entertainer if he, or she is what you want.
WHAT ARE THEIR COSTS (to top)
Unless you are running your party on a tight budget, don't be tempted to accept the cheapest price offered immediately. This could be false economy. The rule of thumb to follow is this. The more you pay, the more you get in return. So ask how long their act lasts. The higher price entertainers are usually the most punctual, and reliable, as they have been in the profession the longest.
Be sure to confirm in writing, that the price that you are given at the time of booking is the final one. I have heard of more than a few tales of people who have engaged entertainment in good faith, being given a lager bill than expected through VAT, or travel expenses that have been added on in addition to the fee. As they had nothing in writing they found themselves at a disadvantage.
ASK THEM TO DESCRIBE THEIR ACT (to top)
Ask them to describe the format and different items that they present in their act. If you find someone who hesitates and pauses a lot while making their shows portrayal, and uses such descriptions as "well I sometimes do this, and you know, I sometimes do that". They are sure to have the same inability to communicate with their audience. Such people are few and far between in entertainment, but do exist, so be warned. To help you make your decision most will be able to give you a graphic step by step account of their performance, if that is what you require.
IS MORE THAN ONE SHOW AVAILABLE (to top)
"I've seen it before" is a phrase that many children use when watching a clown or magician, whether they have seen it before or not. However if your contact has been recommended to you, the chances are that they have been doing the rounds of birthday parties. Many of your audience might have seen them before, and will love to watch them perform their favourite trick again, although over exposure can lead to boredom. So just check if they do have an alternative program, or items.
IS THE SHOW SUITABLE FOR YOUR AGE GROUP (to top)
The majority of entertainers have just one show, with a few variations that they adapt to any age group they entertain. Younger children however, 3 and 4 year olds particularly, need special treatment. So find out if the entertainer is used to handling children of that age. Clowns for instance, can be very unsuitable for this age. Although their act may be of the highest standard. But their over enthusiastic movements and bright face make up, can frighten young children. I have heard many mothers say that the children were almost climbing the wall trying to get away, when confronted with these colourful giants.
SPACE AND REQUIREMENTS (to top)
Most experienced entertainers are completely self contained, carrying everything that they need for most eventualities. However larger shows and puppet booths, clowns, etc., may be too big and unsuitable to perform in your living room. So be sure to ask about space requirements when making your initial enquiry.
ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (to top)
When in doubt, or uncertain of the ability of an entertainer, simply ask them to give you the telephone numbers of the last three people that they performed their act for. You can now ring these mums directly and ask for their opinion. It may sound cheeky, but when arranging something as important as a party for children you need to be sure. If you have received good service from an entertainer, you will quite happily recommend them to others. If they hesitate in doing this immediately move on to another.
CONFIRMATIONS (to top)
Having made your final choice of entertainer, and engaged their services, ask them to confirm the details in writing. When you have gone to all the trouble of arranging a party, the last thing you need is anxiety over the accuracy of the entertainment details. If the entertainer is of a good standard, a simple letter of confirmation stating all the relevant points is the least you should expect. Having a confirmation, gives you something to refer to in case of any unforeseen circumstances. I send both a confirmation, and also a duplicate sheet for the now customer, to sign and return confirming there has been no mistake made at the time of booking. Very rarely a week passes when I don't receive at least one frantic phone call from a hysterical mother, who is ringing around trying to find out who they have engaged for their party on the following day. This is not only time wasting, but annoying for both myself, and the disappointed, irate mother. Insist on a confirmation being sent to you immediately you have booked.
PAYMENT AND DEPOSITS (to top)
Some entertainers ask for a small deposit which is payable at the time of booking, especially Entertainment Agents. Usually the deposit, 15% or 25%, acts as their commission for engaging the artist for you. The balance of the fee being payable to the artist on the day. Full payment should be prepared in advance, and kept close to hand for the performer at the conclusion of their act. Many will be on a tight schedule and need to leave immediately to get to the next show.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER (to top)
When booking an act try to talk to the performer directly, rather than through his wife, or mother. His or her voice can tell you many things about the standard of their performance. How strong and confident they are in their sales patter will be a good indication to the standard of their show. Beware of the ones that hesitate, or find it hard to give you a direct answer while conversing with them. If they sound young don't be afraid to ask them their age. Young performers may have difficulty relating to audiences when the age gap between them and the audience is too close.
When approaching your final decision, don't forget, unless you have decided to keep the entertainer as a surprise, to ask the birthday child what type of entertainment they would like.
WHAT DIFFERENT ENTERTAINERS OFFER (to top)
MAGICIANS: Magic is an age old favourite for children, and can be suitable for children from as young as 3 years old. The upper age group 10 to 13 years old will still enjoy participating in a good show. But be sure to find an entertainer who is experienced with this age group, and changes their act to accommodate their more sophisticated needs. Most modern magicians add as much variety, and comedy to their act as possible. Most will include such novelty items as balloon modelling, ventriloquism or puppetry, and may also include the production of a live animal into their performance. Length of act may vary from performer to performer, although in my opinion the best length is 45 minutes.
PUNCH AND JUDY: Its been around for 300 years and is still going strong. Many performers (professors as they are known in the trade), have brought Punch & Judy into the 21st century. Modern fast moving shows have an easy to understand story line with plenty of audience participation. Traditional character now changing roles. In some shows the hangman has become the burglar, the beagle is now the policeman, etc. There are quite a few about. Most shows run for approximately 20 minutes, but have other items included. The show can usually be expanded to the time you require. Suitable for 3 years olds upwards. Brilliant entertainment, but be warned, this is a very noisy show.
KIDDIGRAMS: Compared to other types of entertainment's, kiddigrams are inexpensive, and can be a lovely surprise for children of all ages and yes! even adults. They can be performed independently, or as part of a larger program. You will usually be offered a choice of costumed characters. The giant furry ones seem to be the favourite. The time that they stay can usually be negotiated. Upon seeing the birthday child they present them with a few balloons, birthday card, etc., and have their picture taken together. Its hard to describe the impact of this surprise on children. A real winner.