General Questions

How come your called Billy Bubbles? Isn't that a bit of an odd name for a grown man to have?
Well, yes it is.  Brendan is Billy’s actual name.  He originally studied and served an apprenticeship under one of the worlds foremost children's entertainers who in turn acted as an agent for Billy in the early years.  To protect his investment in Brendan he licensed the name Billy Bubbles to him to use.  By the time Brendan took over the operation the name had become too well known in its own niche to abandon it.  And so he continues to perform under this alter ego.

Is Billy really as good as your site makes out? 
In short, yes he is.  Over 80% of his booking are either repeat customers or direct referrals.  This does not happen if you are sub-standard.  He stands by his shows 100% and guarantees that the overwhelming majority of your guests will be thoroughly delighted by his entertainment.

Billy and Abracadabra Entertainments (our parent entity) are market leaders when it comes to children's entertainment and particularly birthday parties.  As a result we suffer a little from other entertainers jumping on the bandwagon and coming up with similar names, website content, ideas and show packages the world over.  This kind of occurrence reminds us that "imitation is the greatest form of flattery" and indicates the high regard we are held in not only among the public but also within the magic and entertainment community.

What do I need to provide you with? 
Nothing.  Billy is totally self contained and requires nothing more then the area the show will take place in and of course an audience...oh and maybe a cup of coffee. 

Birthday Party Questions

What kind of space do you need? 
Billy usually set his show up in the living room, typically in front of the window that looks out onto the garden and the children sit on the floor in front of us.  When he runs the whole party the living room is used for the entertainment and the dining room or kitchen for the food and birthday cake.  Most average sized houses will accommodate up to 25 children and his show in the living room.

Can you do your shows outdoors? 
While Billy does have a special outdoor show for festivals and family fun days all his birthday shows are always indoors.  At birthday parties there are too many distractions and potentially dangerous situations that can arise outdoors.  For instance, a bee decides to attack a child half way through the show or a child picks up some grass and throws it...suddenly you have 25 little darlings having the mother of all grass fights.  This does not happen at our outdoor festival shows as the children are not well acquainted with each other and do not copy what another child does.  Put this together with the potential for a rain shower, sunburn for the children and performer and the many other variables that come with outdoor parties it is easy to see that for your party to be it's most successful it is far better to opt for an indoor event.

We are considering hiring a hall for our party,  do you come to hired venues? 
Yes absolutely.  Do bear in mind however that the acoustics in halls and leisure centres are dreadful and you really do not get the full atmosphere of an intimate home party.  Many people hire such venues because they are nervous about having so many children in their homes.  Given the way in which Billy runs the entire party for you there is no need to worry about this as he ensures to keep all the children totally engrossed in his show, therefore eliminating boredom and in turn nullifying the risk of guests running amok in you house.  This also saves you on room hire costs.

Can we take photographs and video of the performance?
Photographs are a great way to ensure your party lives on in the memory of the birthday child and Billy encourages you to take lots of photos for your own personal use.  In fact why not send Billy a few.  Just call him on 01 2962778 and he'll tell you where to send them.

As you will be aware when going to the theatre, a live show or even the cinema the use of video is prohibited.  Billy's show is no different.  His shows are protected and registered by intellectual property rights.  Billy does however understand that this is an important day for the birthday child and your entire family.  For this reason we do allow a short segment of video to be taken when the birthday child is "onstage" helping the magician.  Just have a quiet word with Billy before the entertainment begins as to where and when is the correct moment for you to use your video camera.  We thank you in advance for your consideration and understanding in this matter.

What goes into the party bags? 
Each child gets 5 or 6 novelties.  The kind of neat junk we all loved as children.  Depending on the age group of the party and the gender of those attending we have age and gender related toys. In addition to the toys we include some cool fun/educational make and do items and usually a magic booklet which teaches the children some easy to do magic tricks.  We do not put food or sweets in our party bags as children usually have plenty of that at a party.  If you would like to add some sweets into the bags you can do that on the day.

How many children can attend the party? 
The average size for a party is about 20 children.  Billy needs a minimum of 7-8 children attending to generate an atmosphere.  Upward of that the sky is the limit.  Once you have enough space he has no problem with how many guests arrive.  Believe it or not he has performed at many private birthday parties - in houses - where there have been in excess of 50 children.  Controlling the attention of children is not a problem for him no matter how many there are.  In fact you should probably kick back, relax, enjoy a well deserved glass of you favourite tipple and join the children in watching Ireland's Top Children's Entertainer.  You and your guests are in the hands of a true professional.