Recently, an original long lost manuscript resurfaced having been discovered in an ancient bookshop in the back waters of the southern states.
Posts Tagged ‘how to be a ventriloquist’
Ventriloquist Secrets Revealed- Polyphony – Part 1
Polyphonism, in its entertainment sense, is the imitation of sounds other than speech, such as the humming of bees, the bleating of sheep, the lowing of cattle, the braying of a donkey, or the noise made by planing, sawing, the drawing of a glass of soda, etc., many of which cannot be made ventriloquially, and so form no deception as to the source from which they emanate. A few general hints will aid you in making a beginning, and with practice you can produce most of the imitations with sufficient accuracy simply by following the instructions given.
The Mosquito. —Beginning first with the simpler sounds try that made by a mosquito. For this you hold your throat and mouth in exactly the same position as for the ventriloquial drone, only you make the sound very shrill—in fact, at the very highest pitch you can reach—while at the same time straining with the chest.
A Bee. —With the vocal organs in the drone position use considerable pressure upon the chest and make the pitch lower than for the mosquito. Produce a handkerchief, and as you sound the drone chase the imaginary bee about the room. After pretending to catch it, put the handkerchief containing the bee (?) into the pocket. Then, apparently forgetting that it is there, produce the handkerchief and appear to allow the bee to escape.
How Shanthakumar Became A Ventriloquist
Ventriloquist Shanthakumar is a veteran performer of 2,500 shows and his shows have appeared on TV. You may not have heard of him because he is based in India.
There is an interesting article that has recently been published about him. In it he discusses how he became a ventriloquist and some of his insights into learning the art of ventriloquism.
The article starts as follow:
Shanthakumar has three interesting companions, whenever he takes the stage — puppets named Johnny, Jack, and Rani, who always worries about her looks. These puppets are the Chennai-based ventriloquist’s creations and have become a means to convey his quick retorts, well-timed repartees and reflections on life.
How did Shanthakumar get interested in the art? He replies, “My interest was in presenting jokes with punch lines at various humour clubs that I have been visiting since the 1980s. I equipped myself accordingly and showcased my brand of humour at these clubs. This, perhaps, is what led me to ventriloquism.”
He continues, “The great Prof. M.M. Roy, one of the oldest professional ventriloquists in India, was my teacher. I asked him if he could teach me and sure enough, classes began on a fortnightly basis. Roy had performed in the film ‘Muradan Muthu’ on the insistence of ‘Sivaji’ Ganesan, and M.R. Radha was all praise for Roy after watching a show of his. Roy had assisted many in Hindi and Telugu movies.”
The rest of the article can be found in The Hindu by clicking here:
http://thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article505963.ece
Let me know your thoughts on the article and ventriloquism in general.