About Richard Kettle Ketsymagic
About Richard Kettle Ketsymagic; As a young boy, I was captivated by magic and was over joyed one year to receive a Paul Daniels magic set. Like so many of my generation I sat in awe as various magicians performed at a number of my birthday parties growing up.
With no real ambition to perform magic commercially, I found myself jumping from jobs at golf clubs, a leisure centre and a small IT recruitment firm in Guildford. Gathering, practising and performing an ever-growing collection of close up magic, I tentatively dreamt about being my own boss and entertaining people for money.
My first paid event in 2009 was at a chinese restaurant in my home village Cranleigh, where I would face my fears and perform for people from table to table. After that I took on other small events at house parties and family functions. This lead onto a few other things and very quickly taught me importance of setting the right tone and approaching people in the right way.
Magic Circle excitement
In 2011 I was accepted into the prestigious Magic Circle and was to be married in August. The company I was working for wouldn’t facilitate my request for annual leave for my honeymoon. After that I decided (against all advice) to take a leap of faith…
Accordingly, my Ketsymagic brand was well received from the start and I soon felt comfortable that I had made the right decision.
Family
In 2015 our beautiful daughter Evie was born – a scary time as she was treated for a congenital heart defect at the Royal Brompton hospital in London. She received open heart surgery at 6 days old. My wife and I are forever in debt for the amazing care she received from the NHS. She is now a healthy, happy, beautiful and caring young lady.
2018 saw not one but 2 more children arrive (Maddie & Charlie). They have completed our family and we feel so incredibly lucky.
I can honestly say that since I made the bold and ill-advised decision to perform magic professionally, I have loved the journey and never looked back. Since 2011, I have become busier with parties, weddings and corporate events. Incrementally taking on bigger events and picking up work exclusively by word of mouth, my working diary has continued to fill with exciting events.
I have also been teaching children in Primary schools throughout Surrey & Hampshire with my business: www.youngmagicians.co.uk .
Meeting and entertaining people for a “living” is a joy and a privilege and one that I remind myself daily to never under-appreciate!
