12 Jan Forest of Arden Corporate Magic
Forest of Arden Corporate Magic
A night at the Forest of Arden Marriott in Meriden - two magicians, one Close-Up Corner, and a corporate crowd that didn't want the evening to end.
Last Wednesday, me and my talented team member Russ had the pleasure of performing at a corporate event in Birmingham, held at the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Meriden. I'm a Birmingham magician who's spent 28+ years turning corporate dos from polite networking sessions into something people actually talk about on Monday morning - and this one had all the ingredients.
The client went for a combination of my Close-Up Corner (the UK's first magic booth) and Russ on walkabout, mixing and mingling through the crowd. Alongside other nice touches - a magic mirror, a clairvoyant, and genuinely good food - it made for an unforgettable evening.
Set in 10,000 acres of Warwickshire parkland between Birmingham and Coventry, the venue gave us plenty to work with. Here's how the night went, and why the Close-Up Corner keeps earning its place at corporate events.
A proper venue for a proper do
The Forest of Arden Marriott is a genuinely good corporate venue.
Elegant rooms, space to breathe, and staff who know what they're doing - it's the kind of place that makes an event feel like an occasion before a single trick is pulled. The layout let the Close-Up Corner and Russ's walkabout magic run side by side without ever treading on each other.
If you're planning a corporate event in Birmingham, it's well worth a look. I've also brought magic to plenty of other venues nearby - you can see how it went at the Edgbaston Park Hotel.
The Close-Up Corner: a unique corporate idea
The Close-Up Corner is my brainchild - the UK's first magic booth, built to give magic a dedicated space at an event rather than having it interrupt conversations. Unlike traditional table magic, it creates a distraction-free zone guests can fully lose themselves in. Here's why it works:
- Fewer distractions - guests focus entirely on the magic, no interruptions.
- A focal point - the booth draws curious guests and creates a buzz.
- No one misses out - anyone who wants the magic knows exactly where to go.
- Creates a crowd - once the first group gathers, the rest naturally follow.
It turns passive attendees into active participants.
How the night came together
It kicked off with drinks, good food, and a magic mirror and clairvoyant keeping guests entertained.
Once the Close-Up Corner opened, it quickly became the highlight. Guests wandered over between activities, and before long word spread about the jaw-dropping stuff happening inside the booth.
Meanwhile Russ worked the room as a mix-and-mingle magician - tables, the drinks reception, wherever there was a gap to fill. Between the two of us we built the kind of electric atmosphere that has people still talking about it long after the lights come up. That's the whole point: magic at a corporate event breaks the ice, sparks conversations, and gets people mingling who'd otherwise be glued to their phones.
What made it work
- The right venue sets the tone. The Forest of Arden Marriott gave the event space and atmosphere before the magic even started.
- Two magicians, two jobs. The Close-Up Corner anchors a spot guests come to; a walkabout magician works the room - together they cover the whole event.
- The Close-Up Corner kills the dead air. It gives a room a focal point and keeps people engaged on their own terms.
- Magic is the icebreaker. It gets people talking, mingling, and remembering the night - which is the entire point of a corporate do.
For more ideas, have a look at corporate away day ideas, reasons to book a magician, or fun event ideas.
If you want corporate entertainment people actually remember, the Forest of Arden night is exactly what it looks like.
With the Close-Up Corner, walkabout magicians, and 28+ years of doing this, I'll make your event one people talk about long after. See my corporate magic packages or what I do across Birmingham. Drop an enquiry for availability and a pricing PDF, and I'll reply back within hours.
Make your Birmingham event the one people remember.
Whether it's a country-club ballroom or a city-centre function, I'll keep your guests engaged from the drinks reception to the last song. See the corporate packages, check availability for your date, and I'll send a pricing PDF within hours.
