Magician Manchester: close-up magic for weddings, parties and corporate events
Looking for a magician in Manchester? I'm David Willmott, a close-up magician based in Bristol, and for 20 years I've been performing the kind of magic that happens inches from your guests, in their own hands, rather than on a stage at the far end of the room.
I work with small groups using cards, coins, borrowed rings and banknotes, plus a little mind reading, where the only thing your guest has to hold is a thought. There's no stage, no sound system and nobody gets made to look silly, so it works as well in a city-centre ballroom as in a function room in Bury.
Wedding magician in Manchester
As your wedding magician, I fill the parts of the day that nobody plans for: the drinks reception while you're having photos, the wait before the wedding breakfast, and the moment the evening guests arrive and don't know anyone. At the meal I become your table magician, visiting each table between courses and stepping back the moment the food arrives.
Corporate and Christmas party magician in Manchester
For conferences, awards dinners and client evenings, I'm a corporate magician who mingles, breaks the ice and gives your guests something to talk about besides work. I also do trade show magic to draw people onto an exhibition stand, and a little Christmas party magic is a good way to get the whole office talking to each other.
Birthdays, bar mitzvahs and private parties
Big birthdays, anniversaries, bar and bat mitzvahs and family celebrations are some of my favourite bookings. My private party magician page explains how it works at home, in a restaurant or in a hired room.
One price, travel included
The price I quote includes my travel, petrol and, if it's needed, a hotel, so booking a Bristol-based magician for a Manchester event costs you nothing extra. I'd be glad to check my availability for your date. Read what guests have said on my reviews page, then ring me on 0778 906 2286 or ask me for a quote.
Planning something further south? I also have pages for magician Birmingham and magician Nottingham.
Top venues in Manchester for wedding, party and corporate magic
Manchester has some superb rooms for weddings, company events and Christmas parties. Close-up magic suits venues like these, which I'm happy to perform at:
- The Midland Hotel: wedding magician for receptions in the grand Edwardian hotel by St Peter's Square, with rooms for everything from 20 guests to 700.
- The Lowry Hotel, Salford: corporate magician for awards dinners and client evenings at the five-star hotel on the River Irwell.
- The Monastery, Gorton: wedding magic under the arches of a Grade II* listed neo-Gothic monastery.
- Manchester Central: trade show and conference magic at the convention centre in the old Central Station.
- Old Trafford: Christmas party magic in the stadium's event suites, with plenty of time between courses to fool a few United fans.
- Kimpton Clocktower Hotel: party magic under the clock tower of the red-brick landmark on Oxford Street.
Getting married or celebrating somewhere else in Greater Manchester or Cheshire? Barns, golf clubs, restaurants and function rooms work just as well. Tell me the venue and I'll tell you how I'd fit in.
Hiring a magician in Manchester: your questions
Do you cover Salford, Stockport and the rest of Greater Manchester?
Yes. As well as the city centre, I perform in Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Bury, Prestwich, Altrincham and Wilmslow, and out into Cheshire and Lancashire. Wherever it is, the quote includes travel.
Can you perform at a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah?
Yes. A bar or bat mitzvah has teenagers, grandparents and everyone in between, and close-up magic is one of the few things that works for all of them at once. I fit around the speeches, the meal and the dancing, and I make sure the guest of honour gets something special.
Do you do mind reading as well as tricks?
Yes. Alongside sleight of hand with cards, coins and borrowed objects, I perform mind reading for small groups, so a guest only has to think of something for me to know it. It's often the part people are still arguing about at breakfast the next morning.
Can you work alongside a band, DJ or photo booth?
Yes. I don't need a stage, power or sound, so I simply work in the gaps: while the band sets up, during their breaks, or with the people waiting for the photo booth. I'll check the running order with you or your venue beforehand so nothing clashes.
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Interactive Magic at your wedding.
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Magical Wedding Entertainment.
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Reactions to the Magic.
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Wedding Magic in Manchester
“We just got back from honeymoon. The feedback we have received from our guests about your performance was phenomenal. Everyone was very impressed with your performance. We have passed your details on to a couple of friends who are getting married next year. If we had seen your performance before we would have been willing to pay more, your charges are very reasonable which is hard to find in your industry, believe me we researched for months! We thank you very much for making our day even more wonderful, you were certainly (and still are) the main talking point. We hope to see you in the near future at our friends’ weddings.”Lee and Hayley Wall Lodore Falls Hotel, Keswick