Short note
What entertainment works
at a staff party?
The answer
Colleagues know each other, mostly from work
At a staff party or Christmas party, the guests already know each other, but mostly from work. Entertainment works there when it gives colleagues something other than Tuesday's meeting to talk about. Mentalism does that in small groups, either moving from group to group (Walking) or at a fixed table where people come and join me (Seated).
Away from the office
What someone was thinking, and how anyone could know
Colleagues see each other five days a week. At the party they often end up standing with the same people they sit next to all week, and sooner or later the talk drifts back to work. After a moment of mentalism, the conversation changes for a while: what someone was thinking, and how anyone could have known. That's also how they get to know each other better.
With new colleagues it's the other way round: they only know a handful of people. People who have just seen something none of them can explain have every reason to start talking.
Sometimes a new colleague ends up standing next to someone from the management team. For a moment they're equally baffled, and job titles don't count for much.
Walking and Seated
Moving around, or a fixed table
With Walking, I join one group, then the next, during drinks or a walking dinner, for example. With Seated, I'm at a fixed table and people come to me. Which one suits depends on numbers and how the evening runs. Or it can be a bit of both.
What I perform depends on who's in front of me.
In closing
What kind of evening is it?
If you're after one big show on a stage, I'm happy to put you in touch with a colleague who specialises in that.
If you want something that happens among your colleagues, drop me a short email with the date, the venue, the number of people and roughly how the evening will run. If you already know which option you'd like, do say.
Answered briefly
Frequently asked questions
What entertainment works at a staff party?
Entertainment that gives colleagues something other than work to talk about. Mentalism does that in small groups, either moving from group to group (Walking) or at a fixed table where people come and join me (Seated).
Does mentalism work at a Christmas party too?
Yes, in the same way as at any staff party: during drinks, at a walking dinner, or at a fixed table.
Does it work with an international team?
Yes. I work in English and Dutch, and in a mixed group I switch easily between the two.
How many people does it work for?
Which option suits depends on numbers and how the evening runs. For a large staff party I bring in fellow mentalists, so there are two or three of us.
Do we need to provide anything?
No. There's no need for a stage or technical setup. I bring the table for Seated myself.
