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THE COMPLETE ENTERTAINMENT
By this time the young ventriloquist should have at his command "near " and " distant " voices and imitations. It only remains to few words regarding the manner of giving an entertainment.
Although smart dialogue is very entertaining, it is apt, after a little while, to pall; and to obviate this it will be found well to introduce an occasional song or comic recitation. In both cases these may take of parodies, but in the former a serious song really well sung by the ve ntriloquial figure will evoke both admiration and applause.
Those not possessed of particularly good vocal qualifications may feel that the singing of a song successfully is beyond their capabilities. They should, however, bear in mind that nothing like " finish " or cleverness in execution is expected from a wooden figure. One or two verses and the chorus are quite enough to venture upon, as singing ventriloquistly is extremely tiring.
The best time to introduce a song is when dialogue between yourself and the automata has been in progress for seven or eight minutes. Either the little boy or the old man or the old woman can essay to try his or her skill as a vocalist, or the affair may be com petitive. Much amusement may be caused by the little boy extolling his own skill as a vocalist, and another figure challenging him. To settle the matter, let one sing the first verse of a song and the second, the little boy making a terrible hash of his part of the per formance. If his mistakes are greeted with groans of derision from the old man, or cries of horror from the old woman, the audience will be immensely pleased.
While the song is in progress, the ventriloquist should look about him unconcernedly, feigning total disinterestedness in the affair. Towards the end of the song he may glance sharply once or twice at the singer and applaud him for his effort, which applause it is to be hoped the audience will generously supplement.
It is not intended that these few observations on the art of ven triloquism should be taken as covering all the ground over which this fascinating subject spreads. Enough has been said, however, to show any one who is sufficiently interested how to give a really pleasing performance which shall earn for him the reputation of being quite a creditable exponent of the wondrous and mystifying art.
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