I am lucky, I suppose that I am a creative individual. Sometimes my creativity is fresh and exciting, my brain travels at a million lightyears a second and almost can't catch up with itself. To have ideas bubble around your head and fill you with inspiration and motivation is a great thing, not so much if I am asleep and suddenly wake up, or if I am trying to do something, worse still if I am trying to listen to the all important information my wife is telling me about and all that occupies my brain is, 'I wonder if I can do this??!!?'

All in all it is a great thing, I would worry if it wasn't there and I am at my most frustrated when I have a creative block. Having been a contributor and part of the magic community for over a decade I have been lucky enough to meet some fantastic people like David Blaine and Dynamo, Troy and Ben Hanlin, who have all made it big in the real world performing magic.

However, one of my favourite feelings that comes from my creativity is when I work on an effect for a long time, put it out to the magic community and I see or hear about other magicians around the world that are performing this material. To have other people choose to use your ideas over someone else's, when they are paid to put on the best performance they can is truly humbling.

I was sent a couple of shots of a couple at a recent wedding a magician colleague Steve Rowe was booked to entertain. He used my Polo mint trick at the top table for the bride and groom and got these great shots. Thank you Steve, for not only sending me these great photos of you getting great reactions but for trusting in my magic enough that you chose it to be in your top table set!

If you are looking to book some magic for your wedding then please click here to enquire. Don't hesitate as dates go very quickly and it would be a shame if I could not be there to help make your day that little bit more magical!

Magic for me is a wonderful ability, it is the ability to meet people, it gives me the ability to give them something and it also gives me the ability to leave my impression on these people forever.

I was just at La Familia Restaurant in Esher today performing for Cathy and her family. It was Cathy's birthday and everyone was in great spirits already. I entertained the table in a cabaret fashion, making sure everyone got to be a part of the magic. After a huge rapturous round of applause (one of many throughout the afternoon!) and before I left, a gentleman named Mark pulled me to one side and said to me, 'I have seen magic before and like to think I can do a couple of tricks, but what you do is something else, it really is astounding'. 

Lots of fun was had here at the Rum Warehouse in Liverpool last week at the ECC Gala dinner for 2016.

One of the great challenges I had not been warned about was that there would be people from all over the world. The Netherlands, Norway, the US, Australia, Malaysia and Japan just to name a few. It is always interesting seeing how other cultures react to magic. Some are absolutely blown away, some are quietly reserved and react with stunned silence. I have been lucky enough to perform all over the world so language is never a barrier to me. Magic transcends that barrier and brings people of all walks of life together.

​Below is a video of me performing at this event, it leaves a bit of a cliff hanger... 

So 2016 has been a great year for me. My son was born in February, cue puns about that being 'real' magic! As if that wasn't enough, I have been lucky enough to perform at tonnes of amazing weddings, some really fun corporate functions and in some wonderful unique places. One of my favourites has to be when myself and fellow magician Chris Webb mixed and mingled with the VIPs in the Driver's Lounge at Silverstone for the British F1 Grand Prix, that is one now ticked off the bucket list, roll on 2017! 

​I also saw myself return twice to Saga on their wonderful ship the Saga Pearl II as their only close up magician. Cruising around Brazil, across the Atlantic and all around the Mediterranean. The experience is always amazing on Saga, such wonderful people, such wonderful staff, it is always a pleasure. Let's face it, with views like this below every night you have to count your lucky stars!

I've also been all over the country from East sussex to Coventry, Goring on Sea to Liverpool and have met some wonderful people along the way.

2016 is far from over though, in some ways it is only just starting with the busy Christmas period ahead. If you are looking for a magician for your Christmas party then do not hesitate to give me a call or fill out the contact form here and I will get right back to you with my availability. 

Let's end 2016 with a bang!

So today (today being the 9th October 2016) I exhibited myself (sounds strange!) and my close up magic at the wonderful wedding venue Rhinefield House in Beaconsfield Hampshire. The wedding fair was run by the wedding fair specialists Stylish Events, a great team; thank you Stella, thank you Tracey!

I was warmly welcomed by many brides and grooms looking for inspiration for their special day. There were some very memorable moments also for myself from the day. I learned a new and should we say efficient (I think that is the best way of putting it!) way to eat small chocolates from wrappers, I also found inspiration myself from Bob at Smooch Wedding Rings, a great wedding ring company that do amazing jewellery. However, I think though, hands down my favourite thing was seeing the very cool and wonderfully branded Champervan, a beautiful Volkswagen camper van that gives out champagne! Who could ask for more!

Well instead of blogging about this I should get on with following up all the amazingly beautiful and talented (have I won you over yet?!!?) people who were kind enough to give me their time today. Thank you all.

Au revoir for now!

Q1. Why Magic?
Magic is has been a form of entertainment and amazement for many, many years dating back to when Kings utilised the skills of Jesters and Conjurors to wow and amaze them. Since then magic has been scaled down and is more available to anyone, not just royalty! Whether you require entertainment at your wedding or for Ben to attract crowds to your stand at a Trade Show, close up magic, the brand that Ben performs, is very adaptable to any situation without losing any impact. Magic is usually stronger when seen right before your very eyes. If you want a memorable experience for your guests or clients then close up magic a definite way to create that shared moment which quickly becomes a great talking point of the event. 

Q2. How much does Ben cost?
Every performance is different for Ben so there isn’t a single across the board price. The price may vary due to a number of variables. For weddings package deals are offered at a range of prices so you can choose the best package for you. But for a general enquiry the following information applies.

• Travel
• Ben travels all over the world to perform his unique brand of close up magic, as well as performing lots locally. The general rule of thumb for Ben is that additional travel costs will be added to any performance that is required over 100 miles away from Ben. Additional costs may be incurred for example if he is required to perform within London City Centre during the congestion charge times or if costly parking is required.
• For any performance that requires an overnight stay or extended train or airplane flight additional charges to cover these costs will be incurred.
• Length of Performance 
• Generally the rule of thumb is that one magician can entertain 100 people in 2 hours. Ben does offer different packages so make sure you check them out or contact us to find the package that suits you best.
• Day of the Week 
• Bookings within the week will generally be cheaper that Friday to Sunday bookings.
• Peak Times of the year 
• June to September is the busy wedding season and of course December is the busy Christmas period so prices will vary within these months. 
• Tailored Magic 
• Should you require Ben to tailor any of his effects towards specific clients or guests this will incur an extra cost.

Q3. Is Ben insured?
Yes! Ben is fully insured by Equity for up to £10,000,000, to read more about Equity click here

Q4. Is Ben a member of any official bodies?
Yes, apart from being a fully insured member of Equity Ben was also unanimously voted into the world famous Magic Circle, the most prestigious magic organisation in the world.

Q5. Will Ben match a cheaper quote?
Ben’s quotes are based upon his skill level as a magician and entertainer and outside factors such as travel (see Q2). Ben will be happy to discuss any queries about price with you but within entertainment you really get what you pay for so Ben will not match lower quotes from other magicians.

Q6. I’m thinking of booking Ben for my event, what is the best way we can utilise Ben’s services?
Ben is an entertainment specialist and can perform in a variety of settings. Strolling magic, mingling around your event entertaining small groups of guests with 5 – 10 minutes of magic, this is very popular at drinks receptions and during photographs at weddings for instance. Equally as effective is his table to table performances where Ben performs in between the courses of the meal at each table, a lot of the time the strolling and table to table services are combined at events to insure a great experience for everyone (should some people arrive solely for the dinner or drinks).

Q7. How far will Ben travel?
Ben will travel worldwide for events.

Q8. I have a large event planned with lots of people attending, will Ben be able to entertain everyone?
The general rule of thumb for magicians is that 100 people can entertained by one magician in a 2 hour slot. It is possible to get round more people but obviously the time being spent with your guests or clients will be shortened which will mean less magic for them. For any large event that will require more than one magician Ben has a select group of friends within the magic community he trusts and works with regularly and he will be able to source any other magicians required to join him at your event.

Q9. Does Ben perform children’s magic?
Ben is not a children’s magician, his magic works with adults, that is what it has been designed for. However this doesn’t mean he cannot perform for children at an event as he has a few effects he carries with him for these occasions.

Q10. I have a few magicians in mind, what sets Ben above the rest?
Many of Ben’s clients have used magicians before and they all say his charm and style set him apart from the rest. If you would like to arrange a meeting where you can speak with Ben and experience his magic directly then please get in contact.

Q11. My company will be hosting a trade show stand soon and we have heard a magician can help draw a crowd. Is this something Ben specialises in?
Ben is a great choice if you would like to attract crowds to your trade show stand, attracting crowds is a natural bi-product of what Ben does, he can’t help it! Ben’s friendly charm and manner is the perfect face for any Trade Show stand, his visually stunning magic also works as a perfect way to keep the crowds at your stand whilst your colleagues work hard gaining the vital information from the individuals at the stand. Ben is all too aware that the main focus of his work at Trade Shows is to make sure that at the end of the day lots of points of contact have been made for your company and that these individuals go away remembering your stand and what it stands for.

Q12. Some of my guests do not speak English. Is this a problem?
Ben has performed close up magic many times to people who do not speak English, his first performance in Madrid consisted of 200 people of whom only 15 of them spoke English, needless to say he was the talking point of the occasion. Ben will learn a few key phrases to help him throughout the performance but in these situations his visual magic speaks for itself. Ben has also performed at many venues where the music has been loud and light has been dim, this can have the same effect as speaking a different language because you cannot rely on linguistics and patter to support your act. For these occasions Ben can perform very visual magic that doesn’t compromise entertainment.

Q13. What would happen if you were not able to make my event due to illness or unforeseen circumstances?
Firstly this would be an extremely rare thing to occur, but should something happen that would result in Ben being unable to perform for you himself (although this would have to be serious) he will let you know as soon as he can and with your permission he will be able to provide a replacement for you from his trusted circle of magicians.

Q14. How do I go about booking Ben for my event?
Please go to the contact page here and fill in the relevant details and someone will be in touch shortly with a response and quote

Welcome to the new home of Unbelievable Magic, here you will find out all about what Ben Williams is up to but information that may help you in deciding why hiring a close up magic specialist like Ben will be the right choice for your event.