SEO and the meaning of life... or how to design websites

The honest answer is don't ask me. When I started this business I took the decision to design my own website. has now gone through many incarnations, looks and feels.

I trawl the web for tips and advice on how to make it better, get more hits and importantly how to convert those hits into bookings.

So this is a plea to anyone in the know.

Take a look at and tell me how I can improve?

Of course my core search terms are;

Children's Entertainment, Children's Entertainer, Wedding Entertainer, Wedding Magic, Schools Workshops, History Workshops, Jester Skills.

Why not all Corporate Magicians are the same

A just for fun look at Corporate Magicians and Entertainers from a Jesters point of view.


I want you to try an experiment. Go to Google and search for Corporate Magicians, then have a look at a sample of pages. Now, it may just be me here but why do they all look the same?


It's like somewhere between Paul Daniels, David Blaine and Derren Brown someone made a "how to look like a magician" machine and with a little Piff Paff Poof (C Jeffrey Durham aka The Great Suprendo) the standard serious magician look was created.


So to explain it somewhat, to look like a "serious" magician you (apparently) have to; 


1) wear a formal suit/lounge suit/suit but worn jauntily with an open collar or slight sheen to it. Sport a magicians goatee beard/facial fuzz (this is optional but I find more prevalent amongst Mentalists and mind readers (Derren must be so flattered but I wonder if he's ever tempted to shave just to see....)


2) have a picture of you staring into a camera lens whilst holding (normally) a deck of cards, fire wallet, wand (insert magical prop here) in an unusual/clever/arty pattern, manner.


3) express on your site how many awards/competitions you've won, whether you are a member of the Magic Circle, Brotherhood of Magicians etc (which all sounds a bit Harry Potter when you get down to it)


4) have images on your site of people at functions being amazed by your deft skills (video is becoming the norm as well now) 


5) lay claim to the amount of "celebrity" clients you've wowed, photos of you with your arms around uncomfortable looking celebs optional.


Now these are the main points that I've noticed recently, the trends if you like that I've seen on the internet and on agency books.


Now there's nothing wrong with any of that, Corporate Magic, Corporate Entertainments and Corporate Entertainers are a huge boom market even in these troubles times. But I wonder where the originals are, where are the people bucking the trend?


I should name a few people who I think stand out, who are unique in their own and these are my opinions, the people that did and still do inspire me to perform.


Devilstick Peat - Not a Corporate Entertainer but the man who inspired me to Fool full time.

John Archer - Comedy Magician. Fooled Penn & Teller live with 5 enveloped and is laugh your socks off funny.

Paul Zennon TV Magician, Corporate Magician - I've seen Paul perform live at many Corporate Events and he is 100% brilliant.

Paul Daniles - I grew up watching Paul Daniels on TV. A master of his art and an inspiration to many



There are of course more but they are the ones who always come to the top of my mind.


However, as a professional Jester and a corporate magician and entertainer myself I do find that in this world of sharp suited, goatee bearded (optional as mentioned above) looking magicians that I unusually get labelled as just for kids?


Now that's really odd to me as historically Jesters were hired to perform for adults, Kings, Queens, Nobles et al. Something that I still do today. A Jester's skill is in being able to switch audiences and to entertain everyone, all the time. I remember when I was in a 9-5 office job, if I went on a company night out the last thing I'd want to see would be someone who looked just like me pulling out a deck of cards and doing tricks, no matter how skilled, I'd expect an entertainer to look somehow, different. 


When I booked entertainers many moons ago at Warwick Castle I always looked for acts who stood out, who had a unique angle or look. So I wonder why is the fashion for everyone looking the same?


So, next time you are looking for a Corporate Magician or entertainer just stop to question yourself. Perhaps a Fool is just what you need. All the Corporate Magic and Entertainment you could want delivered in a totally unique style.


Disclaimer: the opinions in this post are purely for fun and are not intended to damage any other performers reputation or image in any way. Frankly I'd prefer that the trend continue and that everyone doesn't start performing as Jesters otherwise I'll have to buy a suit again....

Wow, what a busy few weeks...

Well this has been a very busy few weeks for this Motley Fool. Who knew that the life of a real Court Jester could be quite as manic?

I've had about 5 different heads on as well, for those of you old enough to remember, I feel a lot like Wurzel Gummidge and my darling wife is doing her finest Aunt Sally and keeping me sane.

In Monty world, I've had some great Birthday parties and some wonderful customer comments recently. Really nice to get feedback on the day from parents who've come along with their children to watch. People saying "I've been to a lot of kids parties and have seen a lot of entertainers and I must tell you that you are right up there with the very best of them.." is the kind of comments I want to get. It shows that the effort I put into my work pays off as I try my hardest to "entertain everyone all the time", so much so I've adopted that phrase as my new corporate strap line.

I've also had some great times at one of my favourite places, www.ragleyhall.com. I spent the week over last half term playing and performing my fire show every day then this weekend just past I was Monty the split personality Jester. Part Snowman and part Fool as I was with them for their wonderful Christmas Market. It's nice to know that even Lord & Lady Hertford, the owners of Ragley are aware of me and what I do now.

I've performed at a great Wedding anniversary celebration / 1st Birthday which was a lot of fun, although I must admit that fire breathing in -4 degrees temperatures was challenging...

While all that's been going on I took delivery of my new Sword Cabinet illusion. This is a trick that I cannot wait to perform myself with Jolly Jester Jingles but it's also going to find it's way into the schools drama workshops we'll be running in the new year! Bet there are a few teachers who have kids they'd cheerfully volunteer to be skewered with 23 swords although they may be disappointed to see them come out in one piece?!

Right now I'm working on the finishing touches for my run of christmas shows, both for children and grown ups. I'm performing in schools, nurseries and for playgroups in the next week as well as starting a month of Medieval Banquets at www.warwick-castle.com. Click the link to book onto one of them and I may see you there.

Outside of the Jester world and just like everyone else, I've been getting ready for Christmas at home. I have 2 very excited boys who have earmarked almost every page of the Argos and Tesco Direct Catalogues with the toys they want so I'm working hard to make sure I can get at least some of what they want.

I'm also flat out with my role as Chairman of my sons school Parent Staff Association. Last  week was our Christmas Disco and this Friday is our Christmas Fair. It a mammoth  task of getting donations for prizes, organising raffle prizes and begging for volunteers to help on the day. That said it's worth it, last year for a school of only 220 pupils we raised £5500 and I want to beat that this year so I'm keeping everything crossed for a successful fair. Even to the point of dressing up like a Christmas Turkey for the night to run a "guess the weight of the turkey" game!!! The things I do?

So I'm worn out, brain buzzing and running on adrenaline mostly while trying to fight of Man Flu...

Back in a week or so with more..

for now,

Happy December and Happy Christmas.

The Fool Monty.

OK Go - White Knuckles - Official Video

OK Go.. just another slice of video genius from the most inspired band. Love them love them love them!!!

Great Friends, Drama teachers, Performance Partners and Sword Boxes

I've had a great end to the working week. Yesterday I drove 350 miles to go and see one of my dearest friends @SamJPaterson-Sleep. Sam is someone I've known for over 15 years and although I've not seen her for 10 years as she moved down south and I moved back to Solihull we've always kept in touch.

She was the co-creator of The Royal Boil (a fairytale for festival goers children) which was to be performed at Glastonbury (the same year Robbie performed). It sadly never happened, we got all the way to the performers gate then had a slight difference of opinion with the other performer we'd taken along. So suffice to say it was never performed.

But very soon, the Royal Boil will be re-written, extended and performed at a senior school near you (well me anyway).

Now days however, Sam is a top class Sixth Form College Drama Teacher. I can only begin to imagine how well she inspires her students to get the best out of themselves as she's a bundle of creative excellence!

Her contacts mean though that she happened to be offered a stalwart of magic illusions, called the sword box. See the pictures at the top of this post for visuals. So after her kindly holding onto it for me for a few weeks, yesterday I jumped in the Montymobile (my kids pet name for my car) and hot footed it down to Shoreham to have a long over due hug, a brew or 2 and to collect the Sword Box.

Funny how Sam was as excited as me about me having this prop as she knows my imagination will go into overdrive figuring out how to work it into the show.

I'm in such a total state of 6 year old on Christmas Eve about it that I just had to call my performance partner, Jolly Jester Jingles to chat about it as it's likely that it'll be hear shutting me in the box in the show! She's as excited about it as me, so can't wait to have a rehearsal session in it some time very soon.

For now though, it's sat in my house tempting me and my good lady wife with it's range of possibilities and how best we can refresh it to fit it more with the Medieval theme.

Stay posted for more on this but if you never hear from me again it all went horribly wrong first time out......

The Fool Monty Juggling Store - Open for Christmas Business now!

www.thefoolmonty.co.uk/Store.html


My new Juggling shop is now open for Christmas business.


I sell top quality Juggling equipment including balls, diablolos, flower sticks and spinning plates for loads of family fun.

Time I got back to updating this blog.

It's been a while, Twitter, Facebook et al have got the brunt of my postings/updates but I am determined to start putting more information on here.

So from now one this won't be so much about me, but more about the things, causes, activities etc that impact my business and life as a Court Jester.

First of all with Christmas just around the corner, I now have a Juggling equipment shop:

www.thefoolmonty.co.uk/Store.html

Go have a look today.