It’s been years since I’ve done an in home kids birthday party magic show, and recently I did two of them back to back! Let me say, I’m not above doing them, they just don’t work with my performing schedule. I did these two to help out a friend who booked them, but had to leave town to go to a funeral, so I stepped in and did them for him.
One thing that was interesting to me was that ALL of the adults watched the show with the kids. They stood in the back and watched the show and the kids sat on the floor.
One thing I read in magic groups on social media is that magicians complain that the adults won’t stop talking during their show. I didn’t have that problem for either of the shows, in fact I had a parent say, “This is the most fun birthday party I’ve been to“. I think the problem is that many magicians do a children’s show, and not a family show. There’s a huge difference between the two. If you look at your audience and there’s a lot of adults, you should be doing a family show and not a kids show.
I think of my show as a show for grown up that kids like. My style is very different from a lot of people who perform for families, there are not colorful props. It’s basically me with handheld props that are pretty basic looking. However I fill the stage with the kids personalities. I talk to them, and with my style of play, it works. I like it when the kids fight back with me in a routine when I say or do something dumb, but I also call them out when they do!
I also have jokes that are not just for the kids, one of my opening bits with my rope line is an insurance joke. Doing that early on, it teaches the parents that this is a show also for them.
For someone starting out doing birthday parties, simply saying, “you gotta engage the adults” isn’t a magic pill that will solve the problem. Your job is to entertain the kids, get good at that. However while you are getting good at that, slowly start working at figuring out how to engage the adults. Maybe adding a line here or there, or making sure the magic in your show is STRONG! The only way to learn to do this is do A LOT of birthday parties and over time you’ll get better.
Keep working!
-Louie