panic stations re dd's 6th birthday. ideas for entertainer/venue/activity in Kingston, Surbiton or near

[hatwoman]

left it way too late. the entertainer I wanted is booked. anyone got any ideas?

This guy was an enormous succes at one of DS's friends parties. I saw a bit of him and was delighted - he took charge of the whole event, welcomed the kids, got to know all their names immediately, v friendly, ran games, did magic and comedy acts - genuinely original and funny. I would book him and I'm fussy, being in theatre don't you know daahling.

oh - and we're s london, so should be in range.

Blu, guess who we have just booked for dd's joint party in July
Absolutely agree, Gilbert is in a class of his own. He is smashing and a very pleasant man to deal with to boot. Highly recommended and perfect for this age group.

not sure if that was meant to be a dig but been there, done that, and I don't have the presence and control for it. nor the inclination.

sorry that other post was to riven. gilbert did dd1s birthday and I agree - he's great - (in fact, in a very odd way I almost fancied him...) but he's booked up.

Er, snap hatwoman
He has a certain something, doesn't he. I think it is his marvellous knack for remembering all their names.

Have you tried http://garyolding.users.btopenworld.com/pages/mrzapp.html Mr Zapp? It's been a few years since I saw him in action and he also sticks in the mind as being good, funny and original.

Zapp garyolding.users.btopenworld.com/pages/mrzapp.html

it certainly seems that 6 is the age for parties...and as she has an older dd there's an element of obligation - we have to do something or there will be great cries of huge injustice...having it at home appeals a lot, but I just can't control it myself. really annoyed that I didn;t book earlier - it's really crept up on me.

Gilbert rocks!
How about taking them bowling at the tenpin bolwing place in Kingston. DS went to a sixth b-day there recently and loved it!

hatwoman, it is not a cheap solution these days, but would your dd enjoy a seafaring party on the Golden Hinde? We had a strictly one-off "pricey party" for ds there and it was a wonderful experience for children and adults alike (next to Borough Market and we sold it on easy train access...securing a 100% turnout with no parking faff).
As they have only recently started holding them again apparently, they might not be fully booked...

Well The Master of Disaster is a popular man is he not? I thought he had a certain charisma, too!

OK - someone else had a v good person - I will find out but it will take a day or two...

jelly kelly did my ds1's 5th party yesterday - she was fantastic. She kept 15 5 yr olds spellbound for an hour, but can also do the whole party for you. She's based in Chertsey.

thanks toothy - just left JK a message. I have a vague feeling someone else has recommended her in the past.

(I'm so tempted to tell Gilbert about this thread...)

Have nnow got the cojntact of the man my friend used - he was totally fab - warm, friendly, funny, very very good at managing the children in the party - loads and loads of little prizes all the time.

Mr Shilling 020 8464 7735

Not quite as much 'panache' as Gilbert, but very good.

I dare you to tell GG about this thread!

Hi, Those of you who have seen Gilbert Giggles - do you think we would work well for lots of 5 year old girls?

oh, yes.

I'm tucking Gilbert Giggles up my sleeve so to speak for later in the year .

Believe me I deserve a fanciable entertainer, what with having been shut in a very confined space with the extremely camp Dom the Spaceman for 3 hours... He was sort of like Frankie Howerd having sucked a helium balloon and with the volume turned up loud. The children loved him!

Sorry, meant to add you could try The Action Station. Bink recommended it to me and we've had them twice and they've been fine (we are in SW London, so I'm sure they will do Kingston)

Snort at Anchovy - but steady there - didn't your Children's Entertainer thread go unfeasibly pear-shaped? Was that you?

and anyway, bump, who cares what the children think? if they don't like him you can send them out to play and he can entertain you.

LOL Blu - yes, I think I won the prize on my "asking for a recommendation for a children's entertainer" thread for "The most innocuous sounding thread which results in the OP getting an undeserved kicking".

I was apparently a lazy, talentless parasite who didn't care enough about my own children to entertain them myself and who completely undervalued the peerless craft of children's entertainers. Then other people piled in before Bink threw me a lifeline!

this company is fab and in fact is run by the people who trained the very tall Master of Disaster (or the lovely Simon as I like to call him).