Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Child party entertainer

23 replies

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:15

We had our 8 year old’s birthday today. I hired a children’s entertainer for £300. He was going to teach them circus skills. For the first 40 minutes he gave them what can only be described as a TED talk. It was an interminable lecture about circus skills. He then let them juggle scarves for 3 minutes and then we stopped for food. During his lecture he shouted at the 5 parents who stayed, for whispering to each other, he told off the children for getting fidgety.

During the break I asked if the second half of his act could be more interactive. He said no. I asked if he could do some games, he said no the children would be captivated by him if total silence was respected.

During the second half he shouted at the parents again for dancing at the back to his mood music. Two women were vaguely swaying, well out of sight of the kids.

He kept threatening the kids that the show would stop if they made a sound.

The last 15 mins was fire juggling which is probably all the kids will remember but even that had no joy. He told them not to play with fire because he only could because he had the best teacher. A child called out that they had the same teacher and he said “no you didn’t because my teacher died”.
He told no jokes, there was no joy. I have saved all year for this party and it was miserable. AIBU to slate him on social media?

OP posts:
MateyMusings · 22/06/2024 22:17

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Gymmum82 · 22/06/2024 22:18

He sounds awful. I would leave honest reviews on every platform. I would also have spoken to him after the party and given him my opinion.
We’ve been to a couple of fantastic circus parties, so they can be very good. I’m sorry it was such a disappointment. It’s a shame you didn’t pay on the day. I wouldn’t have paid the full amount

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:18

All his reviews online are 5*. He even has a review from Orlando Bloom!

OP posts:
FatmanandKnobbin · 22/06/2024 22:19

What do the rest of his reviews say?

Tbh I would start by complaining to him, and trying to get some money back, it sounds absolutely shit.

G123456789 · 22/06/2024 22:20

I'd have asked for a refund...pointing out that it was a kids party and they weren't entertained.

MateyMusings · 22/06/2024 22:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

ADHDHDHDHD · 22/06/2024 22:21

G123456789 · 22/06/2024 22:20

I'd have asked for a refund...pointing out that it was a kids party and they weren't entertained.

Agree with this

AFmammaG · 22/06/2024 22:22

My son went to a science party like this. The entertainer wouldn’t let the children touch anything, do the experiments or speak while he was talking (because it was “dangerous”). He was outside.
The party had an inside area and eventually all the children got up and walked inside and they had a little sub-party there.
I know the mum well and she was so disappointed, he was expensive!

I agree with message him first and express your issues. If he is not receptive, then leave the reviews.

sprigatito · 22/06/2024 22:22

Sounds like he's got a bit up himself and forgotten that he's meant to be entertaining excited kids, not delivering a soliloquy. A brutally honest review or two might puncture his balloon.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:23

I explained to him that the kids were not engaged and he needed to include them more but he said it was my fault for not maintain silence and for there being 8 loose balloons on the floor which were distracting the kids from his act.

OP posts:
AppelationStation · 22/06/2024 22:25

Cat Man Do.

I'll have my 50 quid now please.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:27

@AppelationStation I don’t understand

OP posts:
XelaM · 22/06/2024 22:27

Definitely leave him reviews.

We recently had something similar but with an absolutely dreadful tennis coach who proclaimed to be amazing but actually couldn't even hit the ball over the net himself, only brought 3 (flat) balls to play with in a plastic carrier bag, spent most of the time eating (a full blown dinner that he brought to the court) and hitting balls into the net whilst giving absolutely dreadful advice that goes against everything other coaches teach. I will definitely leave him a review.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:29

@sprigatito you are right. He was so exceptionally pompous, you would have thought he was performing Hamlet at the RSC, not entertaining children.

OP posts:
Stompythedinosaur · 22/06/2024 22:30

Wow! Definitely leave reviews to save other families!

This will make a funny story one day.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:32

@Stompythedinosaur one day I will laugh but today I am quite heartbroken. My child has ASD and has only been invited to one party this academic year. I hoped that by inviting the whole class to a party and wowing them he could get some kudos. Instead it felt like the children were being punished.

OP posts:
WhyDoesItAlways · 22/06/2024 22:33

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:18

All his reviews online are 5*. He even has a review from Orlando Bloom!

Orlando bloom? Guessing these are fake reviews.

PrincessTeaSet · 22/06/2024 22:34

Went to a 3 year old's party with a conjurer. He did no more than 3 tricks during the hour, none of which were any good, made some balloon models and the rest of the time was spent making really inappropriate, dirty jokes. I think these con artist entertainers are quite common.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:35

@PrincessTeaSet that is shocking.

OP posts:
MateyMusings · 22/06/2024 22:36

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

byabobby · 22/06/2024 22:38

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 22:32

@Stompythedinosaur one day I will laugh but today I am quite heartbroken. My child has ASD and has only been invited to one party this academic year. I hoped that by inviting the whole class to a party and wowing them he could get some kudos. Instead it felt like the children were being punished.

That is so sad. I'm sure the children won't hold it against him. I'd definitely leave him a bad review if only to protect other families from wasting money on him.

Jugglingarsehole · 22/06/2024 23:08

@AFmammaG why do these people call themselves entertainers?

OP posts:
IMBCRound2 · 22/06/2024 23:09

Missing the point here but £300?! I need to get back into parties 😂

Mind you the insurance on kids and fire must be ridiculous- when I taught fire it was grown ups only.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page