Magician in Somerset for milestone birthdays and anniversaries
A room full of people who all love the same person but have never met each other. That's a milestone party, and it's where close-up magic really shines.
Hiring a magician in Somerset for a 60th, a 70th or a ruby anniversary gives your guests a way in to each other. Jamie Docherty performs close-up magic right among them, at the table or in a small group by the bar, and suddenly the neighbours, the cousins and the old workmates are all laughing at the same thing.
Jamie is a Member of The Magic Circle and "Jay" of Jay & Joss, the double act from Britain's Got Talent in 2024 and BBC Three's "School of Hard Tricks". He's a regular at the Royal Variety After Show Party, too. He travels to Somerset for birthdays and anniversaries, and for weddings and work events as well, all covered below.
Big birthdays and anniversaries with a magician in Somerset
A milestone party collects people from every stage of someone's life. School friends, former colleagues, in-laws, the couple from next door. Many of them only know the person you're celebrating, so the first hour can be a bit stiff. Close-up magic loosens it up, because once two strangers have watched a signed card turn up somewhere impossible, they've got plenty to say to each other.
If it's a sit-down meal, Jamie usually goes from table to table between courses, giving each one its own short set. Nobody has to turn round in their chair or leave their food. Pauline Clulow wrote in a Google review after a party: "He was so friendly and professional going to each table, including both adults and children in his magic tricks."
At a buffet or a party with dancing later, he roams instead, joining groups wherever they've gathered. That works especially well at a house party, where people drift between the kitchen and the garden. There's no stage to set up and no corner to clear.
Anniversaries bring the widest age range of any event. A golden wedding party might have great grandchildren running about and guests in their nineties at the top table. Jamie pitches the magic so both ends enjoy it: children get to hold the cards and make things happen, older guests can watch comfortably from their seat while he comes to them.
Timing tends to be easy. Most hosts like the magic early, while people arrive and settle, then again between courses. He'll stop for the toasts and the cake. For more on birthdays, anniversaries and christenings, see the private party entertainment page.
On this page
Wedding magician in Somerset, from Bath to Taunton
Weddings are the biggest part of Jamie's diary, and people regularly search for a wedding magician in Bath or Wells as well as across the rest of the county. The most popular slot is the drinks reception, when the couple is off with the photographer and guests are left to mingle on their own.
Jamie works his way round the groups, a few minutes at a time, so the two families end up chatting long before the meal. At the wedding breakfast he goes table to table between courses, and he can also greet the evening guests as they arrive, which helps them feel part of the day rather than latecomers.
Plans change on a wedding day, and that's fine. Emma Yezek wrote on Facebook: "i had to make several time changes which didn't phase him, Jamie was very accommodating!" Booking a magician in Somerset who'll adapt as the day shifts takes a little pressure off you.
There's one moment guests tend to describe to anyone who'll listen afterwards. Jamie bends an ordinary drinking glass while a guest is stood inches away, sometimes a glass they chose themselves. Booking a magician in Somerset for the drinks reception means that happens right in the middle of your crowd, not on a stage at the far end of the room.
Many couples choose two slots, often the drinks and the meal. The wedding entertainment page explains the options and how to split the time.
What Somerset party hosts tend to ask
- Every age joins in Children, parents and grandparents can all be part of the same trick, which is the whole point at a family celebration.
- Works around the meal Table magic between courses never holds up the food or asks anyone to move.
- Formal confirmation You'll receive a written confirmation of every detail and receipts for all payments.
- Equity member Jamie's Equity membership includes ten million pounds of public liability insurance.
- Smartly dressed He's always well turned out, doesn't smoke and doesn't drink alcohol at any event.
Christmas parties and work events across Somerset
Companies book Jamie for Christmas parties, awards dinners, conferences, gala dinners and product launches. Each of those has the same need as a birthday: a mixed crowd, some of whom barely know each other, and a long stretch of drinks before the food.
Jamie mingles during arrival drinks, then visits tables between courses, so every department gets a share. If there are speeches or awards, he plans around them and leaves the floor clear. At a trade show or a conference he can work a stand or the coffee breaks, drawing people in to chat.
Client evenings call for a lighter touch. The point is for your team to talk to their guests, so a magician in Somerset at a client night keeps each routine short, joins a group when it goes quiet and steps away once the conversation is flowing again. It gives your people an easy opener with someone they've only ever emailed.
A staff Christmas party is the loosest booking of the year, and the magic gets quicker and cheekier to match, while staying clean enough for any office. A magician in Somerset at the start of the night is a cracking way to get the new starters talking to the old hands.
Smaller teams work just as well as large ones. Fifteen people round a restaurant table get more time each, and the tricks tend to become the in-joke for weeks. See the corporate entertainment page for more on work events.
Taunton and party venues across Somerset
Jamie has performed at Quantock Lakes, Woodlands Castle and The Mount Somerset Hotel & Spa. Around Taunton alone you'll find plenty of other spots for a birthday dinner or a wedding, such as Taunton House Hotel, Blorenge House Hotel, The Great Western Hotel or a golf club like Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club. A magician in Somerset who works close up fits into any of them.
Jamie covers the whole county and the South West beyond. If your party is over the border, see his pages for Devon, Dorset and Bristol.
Before you book
Can a magician in Somerset keep a 60th birthday dinner going between courses?
Yes. Jamie goes from table to table, giving each one a few minutes of magic while they wait for the next course. Let him know how many tables there are and he'll plan his time so nobody misses out.
Our anniversary party has toddlers and guests in their nineties. Will it work?
It's made for that. Children love holding the cards and doing the magic themselves, and Jamie brings the tricks to anyone who'd rather stay seated.
Do you come out to Bath and Wells for weddings?
Yes. Booking a magician in Somerset covers the whole county, and Jamie travels far and wide while keeping travel expenses to a minimum.
When should the magic happen at a wedding?
The drinks reception is the favourite, because guests are waiting while you have photos. The wedding breakfast and the evening reception are both good second choices.
Is a magician in Somerset a good idea for an office Christmas do?
Yes. Mingling over drinks and table magic during the meal get colleagues mixing across teams, and Jamie works around any speeches.
How soon should I enquire?
As early as you can, especially for a Saturday or a December date. Send your details through the quote form once you've chosen a venue, and include roughly how many guests you're expecting so Jamie can suggest how long you'll need.
Planning a big birthday in Somerset?
Tell Jamie your date, venue and what you're celebrating, and he'll let you know if he's free. Booking a magician in Somerset early leaves you to get on with the guest list and the cake.