Magician in Nottinghamshire for staff parties and Christmas dos
Accounts on one side of the room, sales on the other, and the new starters stood by the bar. Close-up magic gets them all into the same conversation.
Most people who hire a magician in Nottinghamshire for a work do are after one thing: a room that mixes. Jamie Docherty performs close-up magic in among your colleagues, a few at a time, so the people who only ever speak in meetings end up laughing at the same card trick over a glass of something.
Jamie's corporate work includes the England Rugby Team's briefing talk and Jamie Carragher's official retirement dinner. He's a Member of The Magic Circle and "Jay" of Jay & Joss, the act who appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2024. Work events and Christmas parties come first below, then weddings and family celebrations.
What a corporate magician in Nottinghamshire brings to a work do
Searches for a corporate magician in Nottingham are usually from someone who's been handed the Christmas party and wants it to go better than last year. The tricky bit of any staff do is the first hour. People arrive in twos and threes, gravitate to the colleagues they sit next to every day, and stay there.
Roaming magic breaks that up. Jamie walks up to a small group, performs for a few minutes, and moves on. The magic gets talked about, and the next group over wants to know what all the laughing was about. Before long the departments have mixed without anyone being made to play an icebreaker game.
Once dinner starts, Jamie switches to table magic between courses. Every table gets a visit, from the directors at the front to the temps at the back. He plans around your running order, so the speeches and awards happen on time with the floor clear, and he can pick up again at the bar afterwards.
Christmas parties get a quicker, cheekier style, because the mood is looser and everyone's in good spirits. It stays clean enough for a mixed office, though. For a client evening or a product launch, he dials it back to something more conversational, so your team still gets the chance to talk business. Booking a magician in Nottinghamshire for a client night is a handy way to give your people an opener with customers they've only met on video calls.
Conferences and trade shows are the other big use. A magician on a stand gives people a reason to stop, and a few minutes of magic in a networking break wakes up a room of delegates. More on this is on the corporate entertainment page.
On this page
Nottinghamshire weddings, from the drinks reception onwards
Weddings take up most of Jamie's Saturdays, and he was named East Midlands Wedding Entertainer of the Year in 2017. Booking a wedding magician in Nottinghamshire usually starts with the drinks reception, while the couple are off with the photographer and guests are left to their own devices.
Jamie works the groups so that both families end up chatting. At the wedding breakfast he goes table to table between courses, and later he can welcome evening guests as they arrive. Glyn Stripp wrote on Facebook: "Jamie amazed everyone and everyone is still talking about his magic."
Couples often wonder whether a magician will get in the way. He won't. He performs for small groups and moves on, so the photographer can work around him, and he's finished before the speeches.
Plans shift on a wedding day, and a magician in Nottinghamshire needs to shift with them. If the photos overrun or the meal is called early, Jamie just adjusts. There's nothing to pack down or carry to the next room, so he can pause and pick up again without anyone noticing a change.
Two slots is the usual choice, often the drinks and the meal. The wedding entertainment page explains how each one works.
Questions Nottinghamshire event organisers raise first
- Fits your running order Drinks, tables between courses, then a clear floor for speeches and awards.
- Nothing for the venue to do No stage, table or power needed, just your guests.
- Paperwork your finance team will like A formal booking confirmation and invoice receipts for every payment.
- Ten million pounds of cover His Equity membership includes public liability insurance, which venues and HR teams often ask about.
- Professional on the night Always smartly dressed, a non-smoker, and never drinks alcohol at an event.
Birthdays and family parties across Nottinghamshire
Jamie also performs at milestone birthdays, anniversaries, christenings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and house parties. The idea is the same as at a work do: a mixed crowd that needs a reason to talk, and magic that works on everyone at once.
Children love being involved, holding the cards or saying the magic word. Adults lean in trying to work out how a glass is bending in a guest's own hand. Grandparents can enjoy it from their chairs while Jamie comes to them.
Anniversary parties are a nice fit as well. A ruby or golden celebration often brings back friends who haven't been in the same room for years, and booking a magician in Nottinghamshire for the start of the evening gives them all an easy way into conversation. The couple you're celebrating can be the stars of a trick if they fancy it.
For a sit-down birthday meal, table magic between courses works best. At a buffet or a party at home, he roams. A magician in Nottinghamshire at a family party needs no stage or cleared space, just people.
If you tell Jamie who the birthday girl or boy is, he'll make sure they're right in the middle of at least one trick. There's more on the private party entertainment page.
Conference centres, halls and party venues in Nottinghamshire
Jamie has recently performed at De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre, Thrumpton Hall, Blotts Country Club and Holme Pierrepont Hall. The county has plenty more places for a Christmas party, awards night or wedding, from events venues like The Belgrave Rooms, Welbeck Hall and Swancar Farm Country House to Trent Vineyard Conference Centre for a work event. Whichever you've booked, a magician in Nottinghamshire who works close up needs nothing changed in the room.
He also covers the rest of the region, and he travels far and wide while keeping travel expenses to a minimum. See his pages for Nottingham, Derbyshire and Leicestershire if your event is closer to those.
Before you book
When is the right moment for magic at an office Christmas party?
Usually the first hour, while people are arriving and having a drink, then between courses at dinner. That's when the room needs the most help to mix. If there's a disco later, he can do a final spell of roaming magic as the dancing starts, catching the people who'd rather stay at the edges.
Can a magician in Nottinghamshire work around our awards ceremony?
Yes. Send Jamie the running order and he'll plan his sets so he's well clear of the floor for the awards, and he can carry on at the bar afterwards.
How many staff can Jamie get round at a big company party?
It depends on the time booked. Tell him your numbers and he'll advise. Philippa Fox wrote in a Google review: "We booked Jamie for a company party for 250 guests and I think he managed to get around to virtually everyone."
Do you do weddings in Nottinghamshire too?
Yes. Booking a magician in Nottinghamshire for a wedding is the biggest part of Jamie's work. The drinks reception and wedding breakfast are the most popular slots, and greeting evening guests is a good third option.
Is the magic OK for children at a family birthday?
Yes. It's friendly and inclusive, and children love being part of the trick. A magician in Nottinghamshire at a family birthday roams between groups, so the kids can follow him round while the adults chat.
How far ahead should we book for December?
As early as you can. Christmas party dates go quickly, so send your date and venue through the quote form once the venue is booked. If you've got any flexibility, mention a second possible date when you enquire, as it gives you a better chance of a yes.
Sort this year's Nottinghamshire work do
Send Jamie your date, venue and rough numbers through the quote form and he'll let you know if he's available. Getting a magician in Nottinghamshire booked early means you can tick off the entertainment and get on with the seating plan.