How to bring the atmosphere of The Greatest Showman to your event

The Greatest Showman is the latest blockbuster to have an impact on the event industry. We all know that a Hollywood movie can be something that really brings everyone’s imagination to life when it comes to events. From the days of the cowboy Western with the Magnificent 7. Plus the big international blockbusters like Star Wars and Jurassic Park. Not to mention the ever-popular James Bond.

Musicals also seem to be some of the most popular when it comes to choosing an event theme. Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman has revitalized the whole turn of the century French thing. Now of course we have the incredibly successful Greatest Showman. More and more event organisers are looking to bring an element of the excitement and energy of the film to their event. 

Here are some of my suggestions for a Greatest Showman style event –

Entrance –

Try to build the excitement and anticipation of the Big Top. Re-create the atmosphere of the entrance of a Victorian circus by using surround sound projecting the ringmaster’s familiar “Roll up, Roll up”. Meet and Greet circus artists can add to the feel. Add a couple of lit rotating carousel table centres on lit poster tables and your guests will feel like extras in the film.

Main Room

For the main area, there are many ways to create the Greatest Showman look and feel. Draping red and white swags from the centre of the venue to the edges and down the walls mimic the look of the big top. Suspended overhead giant inflatable elephants and giraffes are an amazing talking point. Chair covers, table cloths and table centres can really bring the theme right in front of every guest’s eyes. Rotating carousels with white horses slowly rotate on each table. Plus red and white striped Victorian shaped umbrellas can be strategically positioned on every table. This will help bring this dramatic effect together. 

Stage.

Obviously with a Greatest Showman theme, the entertainment relates to the film so would usually be a range of circus acts. It is therefore important that any décor elements leave enough space for the performances. It is possible, if budget and time allows, to use the technology on stage as part of the act. This brings a whole new dimension to any stage show. Lit juggling can be enhanced with video projection and LED screens. Magicians can work seamlessly with pre-programmed lit table centres. They can seemingly remove light from the centrepieces and make them appear on the big screen.

This is a fantastic way of taking the look, feel and atmosphere of a traditional performance. It will give it a completely new twist using the latest tech and ideas. 

In the Greatest Showman film, they have taken the essence of the story and used modern style dance and music to give it a modern feel. This makes it appeal to a wider range of movie goers. This is exactly the way to approach an event in a new hotel venue. It is just about impossible to exactly re-create the Greatest Showman in a modern hotel. However an essence of the era and style can be introduced very successfully if budget is spent wisely.

If you would like help creating your next event, then get in touch with the styling experts at Table Art for a free consultation.