Performing Conference Entertainment at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London

The first thing that struck me about the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms wasn’t the conference itself.

It was the venue.

Tucked away in the heart of central London, the building combines grand architecture, sweeping staircases and elegant event spaces with the sort of modern production and AV facilities that large corporate conferences demand. It is exactly the kind of venue that immediately reminds you this is not going to be an ordinary evening.

In September 2023 I travelled to London to provide conference entertainment for Lloyds Banking Group during their annual conference, performing a live interactive stage show for approximately 180 delegates across a three-course dinner.

Arriving in London

The journey itself was fairly uneventful.

One of the things I genuinely appreciate about travelling to corporate events by train is the opportunity to switch off for a few hours. No traffic. No motorway delays. Just a coffee, a comfortable seat and some time to prepare mentally for the evening ahead.

After arriving at King’s Cross and making my way across London via the Underground, I stopped briefly for a coffee before heading to the venue. Like many performers, I was dragging a small carry-on case containing everything required for the evening’s show.

As the wheels rattled across the pavement, I distinctly remember wondering whether someone had invented a quieter version yet.

It’s a question I still haven’t answered.

Walking into the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms for the first time was impressive.

Performing as a corporate mentalist in London regularly provides opportunities to work inside some incredible venues, but this one immediately stood out.

The venue has a wonderful sense of history and character. Large staircases, ornate architecture and elegant event spaces create an atmosphere that feels both prestigious and welcoming. It immediately felt like the perfect setting for a major corporate conference.

Meeting The Team

After arriving, I met Lisa Grieve from Lloyds Banking Group for the first time in person.

Throughout the planning process Lisa had been incredibly organised and proactive. We had already discussed the structure of the evening in detail, including something slightly unusual.

Rather than presenting a single sixty-minute show after dinner, the entertainment would be split across three separate twenty-minute segments delivered throughout the meal.

The idea was to create an experience that ran through the evening rather than simply appearing at the end of it.

I was also delighted to discover that a dedicated green room had been arranged.

It might sound like a small detail, but performers genuinely appreciate having a private space to change, prepare and organise equipment before a show. Not every event provides that luxury.

Inside The Conference Room

The conference room itself looked fantastic.

The venue team were busy making final preparations while technicians worked on lighting, sound and video systems. Large projection screens sat behind the stage while branded conference graphics surrounded the room.

Delegates would also have access to various interactive activities before dinner including crazy golf and other games designed to encourage conversation and engagement.

Looking around the room, it was clear a significant amount of planning had gone into the event.

This wasn’t simply a conference dinner.

It was a carefully designed experience.

Building A Three-Part Conference Show

One aspect of conference entertainment that often goes unnoticed is the amount of preparation required behind the scenes.

For this event I was using a combination of live audience interaction, custom video content, music cues and projected visuals to help create transitions between different moments throughout the performance.

The objective wasn’t simply to present tricks or demonstrations.

It was to create an experience that felt cohesive, engaging and memorable for the delegates throughout the evening.

Because the show would be delivered in three separate sections across dinner, maintaining momentum between each segment became especially important.

When The Stage Changes

Live events rarely unfold exactly as planned.

One lesson that years of conference work has taught me is the importance of remaining flexible when circumstances change.

The evening also featured a live band who were understandably preparing for their own performance later in the night. As often happens during events involving multiple acts, the stage setup gradually evolved throughout the evening.

Equipment appeared.

Layouts changed.

Performance spaces shifted.

Whilst some people might find that stressful, experience has taught me that adaptability is one of the most valuable skills any professional performer can develop.

After making a few minor adjustments to my own setup, everything worked perfectly and the evening continued without issue.

Most importantly, the audience never noticed a thing.

Performing For Lloyds Banking Group

The delegates were a fantastic audience.

Responsive, engaged and willing to participate.

One participant early in the show decided to have a little fun when introducing himself and gave me an intentionally incorrect name. Rather than challenge him, I simply continued referring to him by his chosen name throughout the performance.

The audience loved it.

Moments like that often create some of the strongest reactions because they feel spontaneous and genuine.

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere continued building naturally between each performance segment. By the final section the room was fully engaged and the energy was exactly where you hope it will be.

The Prediction That Nearly Went Wrong

The final routine of the evening involved a prediction.

Rather than using a traditional sealed envelope, I decided to experiment with something a little more modern.

Earlier that day I had edited my Instagram biography to contain a prediction that would later be revealed live during the show.

As audience members visited my profile on their phones, they discovered that a specific thought-of word had apparently been predicted hours before the performance began.

The reaction was exactly what I had hoped for.

Shock.

Surprise.

Applause.

Then something slightly unexpected happened.

Small pockets of laughter began appearing around the room.

At the time I couldn’t quite understand why.

The show concluded successfully, delegates applauded generously and many people came over afterwards to chat and share their thoughts on the performance.

Then Lisa approached me with a smile.

“You did mean to write Barclays in the prediction, didn’t you?”

I hadn’t.

Whilst preparing the prediction earlier in the day, I had somehow written:

“Whilst entertaining the wonderful team at Barclays…”

instead of Lloyds Banking Group.

One of their biggest competitors.

Fortunately, the senior leadership team found it absolutely hilarious.

I smiled calmly and assured everyone that everything was entirely under control.

Inside, however, I was experiencing a rather different emotion.

Relief.

Final Thoughts

As I packed away the equipment, changed back into comfortable travelling clothes and made my way towards the station, I reflected on what had been a thoroughly enjoyable event.

The venue had been exceptional.

The audience had been fantastic.

The production team had delivered a great experience.

Most importantly, the evening had achieved exactly what conference entertainment should achieve - bringing people together, creating shared experiences and giving delegates something memorable to talk about long after the conference itself had ended.

A few days later Lisa emailed to thank me and share the feedback received from delegates.

“We will definitely be looking to hire you again for next year. We received great feedback on having you at our event, everyone loved it.”

It’s always nice to hear.

Especially after accidentally promoting Barclays.