The best jugglers in Melbourne
Roving or a show. That one decision changes the price, the run sheet and the kind of performer you should be writing to, and most people send their first enquiry without having made it. Roving means someone working through your guests in short bursts for a couple of hours. A show means a start time, a spot to watch from and a routine with an ending.
Melbourne suits both, though for different reasons across the year. Summer here is a fete and street festival season where roving earns its keep outdoors, while the cold half of the year pushes everything into halls and function rooms, where the ceiling above the performer suddenly matters a great deal.
Top picks in Melbourne
Top picks are the acts in this category in Melbourne, with premium listings first (no visible client reviews or ratings in this list).
Questions people ask about jugglers in Melbourne
How much does a juggler cost in Melbourne?
Working a crowd is usually charged against a block of hours with a floor under it, while a built stage routine carries a flat fee for the piece, so the two figures are not comparing anything alike. The starting figures on this page came from the performers themselves and it is worth asking each one which of those two products the number covers. A booking out past Geelong, the Yarra Valley or the Mornington Peninsula will also carry the drive, and most acts will tell you that up front if you name the venue.
Is a juggler a good choice for a kids party?
Usually yes, provided the act has a teaching section in it. Children watch for about ten minutes and then want to try, so a performer who hands over scarves and beanbags and runs a short lesson will hold a room of seven year olds far longer than one who only performs. Ask specifically whether the workshop element is included, and ask what age range the routine is pitched at.
Can a juggler perform in a small Melbourne function room?
Often, but the routine gets cut to fit and you want to know that in advance rather than on the night. Give the performer the ceiling height, tell them what is hanging from it, and mention the floor, since a polished boardroom surface and a carpeted hall behave differently under dropped clubs. An act that knows the constraints beforehand builds a show around them instead of improvising a shorter one.
There are only a few jugglers listed here. Should I look wider?
Yes, and it costs you nothing to do both at once. The Melbourne list for this particular trade is thin, so write to all of them in one go rather than working down the page across a fortnight. If your date is taken, the circus and roving entertainer listings cover neighbouring skills, and plenty of the same performers also spin hoops, ride a unicycle or work a comedy skill show.
Booking tips
Measure up, not across
Clubs go a long way over a performer's head and anything on a unicycle goes further. A low function room ceiling, a chandelier or a set of pendant lights quietly removes half a routine, so describe what is above the spot rather than just the room size.
Ask to see the working with children check yourself
If children are the audience, ask which clearance the performer holds and ask them to send you a copy before the day. Nothing on this site is a check of any kind, so sighting the card is your job and the performers who do school work are used to being asked.
Judge on footage, not on ratings
Not one act on this list carries a written review, so there is no star column to sort by. Look for video of a real crowd standing around a performer outdoors, because holding strangers in the open is the whole skill and a studio clip proves nothing about it.