You’ve chosen the menu, invited people you enjoy, and worked out which chairs can be trusted.
Now give the evening something to remember after the dishes are cleared.
Close-up magic can make a Charlotte dinner party feel like a private occasion with its own little world: cards, comedy, strange objects, and a group of friends trying to agree on what they just saw.
I’m Timothy Starnes, a Charlotte magician, necromancer, and comedy conjurer. You supply the dinner. I’ll supply the questionable company.
Decide where the performance belongs in the meal
Start with the dinner schedule. Tell me when guests arrive, when food will be served, and whether you have a toast, cake, or another activity planned.
One option is to give guests a performance area during a drinks-and-conversation portion of the evening. Another is to gather around the table after the meal, when everyone can settle in and follow the action. We’ll discuss what suits your group and the room.
Coordinate the performance with food service. If someone is bringing out hot dishes or clearing plates, that is useful to know before choosing the timing. Good hosting gives both dinner and the entertainment room to be enjoyed.
Nobody should have to defend a perfectly good entrée from a deck of cards.
Give close-up magic a clear place at the party
I work from a dedicated performance station. Depending on the arrangement, that may be the table where guests gather after dinner or another suitable spot where they can watch comfortably.
The station gives people somewhere interesting to go. They can finish a conversation, bring a friend over, and join in on their own terms. Read why I prefer station-based magic for private events if you’re thinking about how entertainment will fit your evening.
For an intimate dinner, the shared reactions are part of the fun. One person insists they saw everything. Another begins a detailed explanation. A third has decided I should not be allowed near the silverware.
The group has found its next conversation.
Check the table, seating, and view
My usual working setup is three chairs and a table, or a coffee table with ample audience seating in front and to the sides.
Describe the table and how many people will be watching. For a performance around the dining table, tell me what space will be available once the meal is finished. For a separate area, consider how guests will approach it and where they can sit or gather comfortably.
Keep the performance spot clear of the main route to the kitchen and drinks. Ask me about the arrangement before moving furniture or assuming a particular layout will work.
I don’t use a sound system. Tell me about background music and nearby activity so we can plan for people to hear and follow the performance. If the dinner is in a restaurant or hired room, coordinate the setup and timing with its staff.
Choose the atmosphere you want at your table
Comedy close-up magic suits an evening of cards, props, laughter, and audience interaction. A traditional-style show does not need a supernatural theme.
Con games, bar bets, and dice magic add playful challenges and a little honest dishonesty. This can suit friends who enjoy testing their instincts and watching someone else’s confidence encounter a problem.
A comedy séance makes the performance a more immersive centerpiece. My signature show, Timothy Starnes & His Many Night Visitors, combines spirit magic, haunted storytelling, mind reading, and dark comedy.
The séance requires two hours, and I suggest 10–15 guests, or as many as your dining table can comfortably accommodate. It is theatrical entertainment, not a mediumship reading or a promise of contact with deceased loved ones.
You can choose a format or ask about a mix. My adult party show guide explains the differences.
Make the timing and tone fit your guests
I usually spend one to two hours working a client party, with performance lengths adjusted to the event. A séance needs two hours, and parties outside the Charlotte, NC area have a two-hour minimum.
Tell me who’s coming and what they enjoy. My shows are for adults ages 18 and up. We’ll agree on the humor, the appetite for spooky material, and how the performance will fit the rest of the dinner.
I’m best known for my comedy séance, which I tour along the East Coast, and I’m also a trained comedy and bar magician. Your guests can have a traditional magic evening, an encounter with the hustler’s art, or a reason to regard the furniture with suspicion.
Book close-up magic for your Charlotte dinner party
Send your date, location, guest count, meal schedule, and a description of the table or proposed performance area. We’ll discuss availability, arrival and setup timing, and a format that suits the room.
Read the close-up and dinner-party magic booking details and the pricing guide, then text Tim about your dinner party.
Your guests already have a reason to come over. Give them something to argue about on the ride home.