If you should have occasion to imitate a French­man don’t fail to remember that the Parisian lacks in aspirates what he makes up in r’s; gives a sex to everything, and introduces a little Punch quality into the terminations ending in ” n.”

The German puts a ” b ” where he should use a”p” and vice versa, and a”v” for a ” w.”

 

Among the characters which you may care to imitate, either for figure working or for Natural ventriloquism are fleshy people, who never have deep or big voices. Use a little voice with mod­erate pitch for a fat man, and a falsetto voice for a fat old lady.

 

The voice of a jocular young man is hard, loud and thin, and is produced explosively against the front of the palate, immediately above the upper row of teeth.

The loafer or tramp whose voice has been destroyed by chronic hoarseness and drink speaks in a sort of harsh whisper. The only hint that can be given for its production is the statement that it is the Grunt voice without the grunt. On account of its character it is hardly suitable for figures, but with a little appropriate dialogue it may be used at a partly opened door to suggest to the people in a room that there is such a per­son outside who is trying to beg a ” handout” or cast off clothing. Of course the door must be partly opened, not shut, as otherwise the sound would not, in the nature of things, be heard, for it is quite impossible to ventriloquize a whisper.

 

This voice is usually the product of large cities and does not belong to a countryman. A fair imitation of this voice is often given by so-called” tramp comedians ” of the variety stage.

 

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