Roving magician hire in Australia: the complete guide

Roving magic is bought by the hour and delivered in three-minute pieces. The performer moves through a standing crowd, works a small group until they are loud enough to attract the next one, then steps sideways and starts again. No stage, no soundcheck, no dead time while the room waits for something to begin.

Live prices from the roving magicians listed here are below. The number that decides whether this booking works is not the fee, it is the arithmetic of guests against minutes, and it is worth doing that sum before you enquire.

You will find the live city figures just below. Roving is almost always sold in blocks of one, two or three hours, so quotes compare easily once you know how many hours you are asking for. Adding a second hour is usually cheaper per hour than the first, because the travel and setup are already paid for.

Where the figures climb is at the far end of a drive, or where a performer is holding a room for an unusually long block. Two hours is the common booking and it covers most arrival-and-canapes windows with something in reserve.

Work it out before you book. A performer needs a few minutes per group and a moment to move between them, so one hour covers a modest number of small clusters, not a whole ballroom. For a large event you either extend the block or book a second performer working the other half of the floor.

Ask the magician directly how many guests they reach in an hour at a standing function. The honest answer is a range, not a promise, and anybody who quotes you a suspiciously round number covering your entire guest list is selling rather than planning.

The gap between a ceremony and a sit-down meal is the worst hour at most events. Guests are standing, drinks are circulating, and the photographer has taken the hosts away. That hour is what roving magic was built for, and it is also useful at trade stands, gallery openings and any function where people arrive in a slow trickle rather than all at once.

It also works while people are seated, moving table to table between courses. Check the performer does both, because a close-up set designed for a standing group sometimes has to be rebuilt for people who are looking up from a chair.

This is the least demanding act you can book. No power, no stage, no sound, no get-in time, and a performer who can start within a minute of arriving. That is a real advantage at venues with tight access or at outdoor events where every other act needs a marquee and a generator.

The two things they do need are light and somewhere to put a jacket. Close-up magic in a dark garden after sunset is hard work, so if your event runs into the evening outdoors, check the lighting plan with the performer rather than assuming.

What is the minimum block, and what does an extra hour cost? Do you rove among seated tables as well as standing groups? How many guests do you expect to reach at our size? Do you take a break, and when? And will you work outdoors, given our event is in a garden until sunset.

For bigger crowds, ask whether they work with another performer regularly. Two magicians who know each other's routines will split a floor properly instead of both drifting towards the bar.