Close-Up & Stage Magic · Sydney, Australia

Sydney magician for moments they'll remember.

Close-up magic at the table. Stand-up shows on stage. John Messina performs both — for corporate events, weddings and private parties across Sydney and Australia.

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20+ Years Performing
200+ Five-Star Reviews
TV Appearances
John Messina performing card magic at a Sydney event
★★★★★
"Guests are still asking who that magician was — two years later."
Sarah L. — Events Manager, Macquarie Group

As seen on TV  ·  Trusted by major brands  ·  200+ five-star reviews

John Messina performing on stage with red silk and dramatic blue stage lighting
John Messina performing close-up magic at a Sydney corporate event
Guests reacting with amazement at John Messina's close-up magic
Why John Messina

Not just a trick.
A moment.

John started performing magic as a kid and never really stopped. What began as a teenage obsession turned into a career spanning over two decades — close-up magic at the table, stand-up shows on stage, corporate gala dinners, weddings and private celebrations across Sydney and Australia.

He's relaxed to work with, good with a crowd, and adaptable to almost any format. Whether it's twenty people at a cocktail party or five hundred at a gala, John reads the room and adjusts accordingly. Not once has a client complained there was too much magic.

Versatile for every event

From close-up magic to polished stage performances, each show is tailored to suit the room.

Reads the room

Corporate crowd or birthday party — John adjusts his style to suit the people in front of him.

200+ five-star reviews

Real clients, real events — most of them booked him again or recommended him to someone else.

Easy to work with

Shows up on time, does the job properly, and doesn't need hand-holding. Clients rarely notice how much goes into it.

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A note worth mentioning

You book John.
You get John.

You're not booking a faceless entertainment agency or hoping the right performer turns up on the night. From the first enquiry to the final reaction in the room, you're dealing directly with John — the same person who will be performing at your event.

Events

The right kind of magic,
for every occasion.

John Messina performing close-up magic at a corporate gala dinner in Sydney
Corporate
Corporate Events & Conferences
Cocktail hours, product launches, client dinners and end-of-year galas. John circulates through the room so you don't have to worry about it — guests get talking, barriers come down, and the evening takes on a life of its own.
Enquire about corporate events →
John Messina performing a stage magic show at a large corporate event in Sydney
Stage Shows
Stage & Spotlight Performances
From a seated theatre performance to a full conference ballroom show, John holds a stage comfortably. The whole room gets involved — and the reaction is usually the same: people don't see it coming.
Ask about stage performances →
Guests at a Sydney private party laughing and reacting to John Messina's magic
Private Parties & Weddings
Weddings & Private Celebrations
Weddings, milestone birthdays, anniversaries, dinner parties. John keeps things warm and personal — close-up magic that feels like it was made just for the people in the room.
Check wedding availability →
Drag to explore
I've organised over fifty corporate events in my career. John is the only entertainer I've rehired without question.
Marcus T. — Events Manager, Westpac
Client Reviews

They said it better
than we could.

★★★★★
"John arrived early, introduced himself to the whole front-of-house team and had the room absolutely captivated within minutes. People who hadn't spoken to each other all night were bonding over what they'd just seen."
Priya M.
Corporate Events, Tableau Software
★★★★★
"John arrived early, introduced himself and had the room captivated within minutes. Warm, funny and genuinely baffling."
Diane R.
Private Client, Sydney
★★★★★
"Our CEO stopped me mid-event to ask who booked the magician. That doesn't happen often. John was brilliant."
Tom K.
Corporate Events, Commonwealth Bank
★★★★★
"Our wedding cocktail hour was the one part of the day I was most nervous about. John made it the best part. Guests are still talking about the card thing — nobody can figure it out."
Emma & Ryan
Wedding, Hunter Valley NSW
200+ five-star reviews across Google, Bark and direct referrals.
Trusted by Australia's leading organisations
G Google Reviews

More kind words
from Google.

Real reviews from clients who booked John for corporate events, weddings, birthdays and private celebrations.

★★★★★
“10/10 recommend! John was unbelievable and such a fun addition to my birthday celebration! 1.5 hours of roving magic where he professionally and seamlessly slotted in and made everyone so happy. Laughter and magic filled the room. John even did a stand up performance at the end which had the whole rooms engagement and infatuation. So fun, thank you John!”
Annabel Hay
Google Review
★★★★★
“Had John come out for my Hens night. We were only a small group of 8 and he had us all on the edge of our seat. So entertaining so fun and such a good experience to share with everyone. The laughs and shock did not stop till hours after he left.”
Maz F
Google Review
★★★★★
“John was fantastic! His magic was amazing and so much fun, our guests were mesmerized. John roamed our elegant, formal event of 112 guests effortlessly throughout a standing cocktail hour and then a seated entree, engaging beautifully with all of our guests across ages 2 to 85. His magic really was fun and amazing and well suited to the event, all of our guests were talking about him! It was the best decision to book him in.”
M O’Connell
Google Review
★★★★★
“We booked John for our NSW Dealer Awards Event, with the instruction that the theme for our event was ‘OUTLANDISH’ and that we wanted our VIP guests to have an amazingly fun evening. From the first conversation, to the event and thereafter, John has been an absolute professional and pleasure to work with. On the night, John nailed the brief and our guests raved about the super fun and interactive performance.”
Mischelle Janus
Google Review
★★★★★
“We hosted an event for our clients and candidates this week and had the great pleasure of securing John for our entertainment, and am so glad we did! He is truly a very talented magician and wowed our guests over and over in roving style performances. We were all in awe of his work and I would have no hesitation at all in recommending him to anyone for any style of event. Professional, personable and super entertaining.”
Helen White
Google Review
★★★★★
“John was amazing! He was the roving magician at our cocktail party. I just loved watching our guests entertained and in awe of his magic. Very talented, extremely professional and highly recommended!”
Michelle Drougas
Google Review
★★★★★
“Wow!! What a legend!! John was absolutely magical at our recent event. Ever so polite, courteous and the guests loved him. His tricks amazed and wondered us all and left us utterly speechless. Thank you for making our event even more memorable. For anyone in need of a magician, John is your guy!”
Kelly Barran
Google Review
★★★★★
“John did an amazing show at my engagement party. He wowed the crowd and we are still wondering how he performed the tricks he did. The show was too good! Everyone of all ages loved it! Would definitely recommend John to anyone for any event.”
Shayal Dutt
Google Review
★★★★★
“We had John for our corporate Christmas event. He performed for over 100 guests and we all loved both stage and roving (close-up) performance. He was very flexible to customise his show to our event’s time table to make the event even more memorable. Many people still talked about his magic even a few days later.”
Misato Ito
Google Review
Read more Google reviews  →
John Messina performing the silk and rose illusion at a Sydney corporate event
See It for Yourself

Words don't quite
capture it.

Some things don't translate well in writing. Watch John work a room and you'll get it immediately.

How It Works

Simple to book.
Remarkable to experience.

01
Check Your Date
Send a quick message with your event date and what you have in mind. John gets back to you, usually within 24 hours.
02
Brief Chat
A short call to talk through your event — the format, the guests, what you're after. No pressure, just a conversation.
03
Confirm & Secure
A simple agreement and deposit to lock in the date. After that, John handles the rest.
04
Enjoy Your Event
John arrives on time, gets on with it, and your guests spend the rest of the evening asking each other what just happened.
FAQ

Common
questions.

If something's not covered here, John's happy to answer directly — just get in touch.

Get in Touch

Popular dates — Fridays and Saturdays from October through March — often book several months ahead. That said, John occasionally has last-minute availability, so it's always worth asking even if your event is soon.

Corporate events, cocktail parties, product launches, gala dinners, weddings, milestone birthdays and private parties. John performs both close-up and roving magic for mingling crowds, and stand-up or stage shows for seated audiences. He's done everything from intimate dinner parties to large conference events.

For roving and close-up magic, most bookings run between one and three hours. Stand-up and stage performances are structured separately and typically run 20 to 45 minutes per set. John will tailor the format to your event — it's all worked out in the brief conversation beforehand.

Pricing depends on the event type, duration, location and date. John offers a straightforward quote after a quick conversation — no haggling, no hidden extras. Use the form below to get started.

Yes. John regularly performs at events across Australia and is available for interstate travel. Travel costs are included in the quoted price — no surprises.

Absolutely. John performs entirely clean material and adapts his approach to the audience — from a formal black-tie corporate dinner to a relaxed birthday party. His performances are inclusive and appropriate for all ages.

Ready to Book?

Your date might
still be available.

Popular dates — especially through summer and the end-of-year period — go quickly. A quick message takes two minutes and you'll have a confirmed answer within 24 hours.

Popular Friday and Saturday dates often book well in advance. Send through your details and John will let you know what's available.

Or call directly: 0405 844 088

No pressure. Just a quick chat about what you're planning.

Call John Check Availability