How to Become a Ventriloquist.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 247, 17 March 1888, Page 8

How to Become a Ventriloquist.

" What ! tell you how I became a ventriloquist, and how anybody else may enter the lists ? I don'fc mind the first part of the programme, that's easy enough, bub, as to the other — well, sit down, and perhaps before you go I may be able to give you a few hints, and possibly a lesson into the bargain." Lieutenant Cole had never beon "interviewed" before, and as we both settled down into our respective easy chairs, I was expecting something interesting from one who has pitched his tent here, there and everywhere, and thrown his voice into every conceivable place between a palace and a coal c illar. " Well," he said, " the ventriloquist is like the poet, born, and not manufactured. With practice it is a comparatively easy task to take a couple of wooden dolls on your k»ae and teach them to talk, but, to throw your voice into the back-garden, on to the roof, and down the chimney-pots is a very different thing. I wilt show you what I mean. Now listen." The next moment a flock of sheep was ! passing outside, the dog was barking, the driver shouting. A gentleman was crying out " fine Yarmo' bloaters," whilst a lady with a very shrill voice was keeping up a lively duet with the purveyor of that marine delicacy by singing " water-creeses." " All right —keep your seat. It was all done inside here," tapping hia chest. | I l

" W&at Ventriloquism really Consists of ie a peculiar formation of the muscles of the throat. It is a gift. If a man is not born a ventriloquist he will never become one. I really speak down in my stomach. This closes the muscles and so they are compressed tighter, and the effect is to produce a 'far away' voice. The lower my voice descends, the greater is the pressure against the muscles, and the sound becomes more distant still. Being in possession of this gift, the art then is to learn how to acquire the habit of producing the different voices you wish to obtain, and above all to know ivhere your voice is going to pitch. It would never do to find it up the chimney when you wanted it in bho passage. Just give me your hand and I will speak as I do when performing." I placed my hand somewhere about the third button of the ventriloquist's waistcoat, and whilst he was speaking a rapid movement was fel/b. "Is it a dangerous practice?" I asked, " or injurious to health ?" "Oh ! bless you, no. I b.ave made my living by it for over a quarter of a century. After twenty years' experience of it,, 1 had a severe illness, aud was examined by a specialist. His opinion was that it did not not touch the lungs at all? which so many people seem to think. He said, just what I told you, that it was a peculiar formation of the muscles of the throat. Now, look well at my face and tell me if you notice anything additional to what most folk have. No ? Look again in tho vicinity of my mouth. "" Yes, there were two extra muscles distinctly visible at each corner of the mouth. They had become gradually formed simply through keeping tho lips closed whilst speaking. / , "Now I am coming tp, something interesting. Just try ana say .the letters *m,' * p,' and *b,' without moving the lips." In vain I tried, but could not succeed. "Ah ! there's the rub. ,Words with those letters in them are- the most difficult to pronounce, but by incessant practice I have found out a means of getting them quite naturally, and they are produced With the Tip* of the Tonffite and the Teeth." "Some ventriloquists substitute 'slur' words in difficult sentences. * I wish mama was here,' would s6und!' I wish nana was here,'" and he illustrated his words as he Spoke. " The venfcriloquistß of bygone days all wore big moustachios." "In order to hide the movement of the lips, eh ?" " Well, yes, I should say so. And I don't mind admitting that tho first time I opened in the business I was somewhat nervous and wore a false moustache myself! But when I came to London I wAti clean shaven, which puzzled the" good folk, for I was, the first ventriloquist Who had appeared with ,a olean face—clean shaven,, of course, I mean. Although I found one — Mr E. D. Davis— who was working a couple of figures on his knees,l, still I am responsible A iov the introduction ok a •family group." ' • '»» -'v' ■"•!*'

"1 ComTOMwodQperatum^iit Souool. "Her^j; wwlsr«et rajC school fallows around me andgive them ft ut Ue, gratuitous, entertainment m "the Way brimitiajiing *ho sounds of various birds, horses, pigs, sheep, dogs, cats and bo on, with my mouth. With peraeyerance anybody 3nay» acquire thfc knack of doing this. Then I went to sea, and there I tyould. amuse myaetf and those onkv^^^rtynfiwfoiß the 'Kiunring of the gear/ the weaking of the blocks, and all that sort of thing, but how I really tirst

became convinced that I was a ventriloquist was brought about in a very amusing way. "At that time I was in tho provinces with a conjuring entertainment, with one or two feats of ventriloquism introduced by way of variety. I was on my way from Hull to Manchester, and tiding in the same compartment was a brother professional bound for Halifax. This gentleman would persist in asking at every station whether ho had to ' change here for Halifax.' So at lust, to oaso his miud,

"I Threw my Voice Out of the Windowas we neared tho station, and he heard a porter shouting ' Change hero for Halifax ! Change here ior Halifax !' Away he went, luggago with him, and after a long discussion with the perfectly innocent porter — who declared he had not opened his mouth —lie brought tho man to tho carriage door to us. Ho then caught sight of yours truly. Curtain ! "This decided me. I tiavolled for twelve months in the provinces, starting at Manchester with a salary of £2 10s a week. In 1870 I came to London, and opened with the Great Hormann at the Egyptian Hall. Since then I have been with 'my family ' in many pantomimes, including the Adelphi, Gaiety, the Princess's, and in tho provinces. Royalty has not forgotten there are such human beings as ventriloquists. At Marlborough House I assisted at one of the young princesses' birthdays, and out of an audience of some hundred and twenty, including the Princess of Wales, only two gentlemen wore present. Paris, Berlin, Baden, Vienna — for my figures speak French and German as well as " " Ah ! toll mo something about them," I interrupted.

"How aro the Figures Made?" "I model them myself, and they are made of paper, and, their value—well, it is impossible to estimate it, though, of course, a set of figures may be bought anywhere between £30 and £100. They aro worked on the marionette principle), by means of strings connocted with my fingers. The slightest touch will ' move' mo, and I can gain complete control over eight at the same time, and one of the eight—the old manhas ten distinct movements. When chattering to my family, I am quito at home with them. Of course, all they say is my own, though I havo often paid a guinea and more for a good joke." " And da they cost much for clothing ?" " Well, 1 allow my ' old man ' two suits a year—tailor made. The old lady is more extravagant in her dress, she bolieves in tho latest fashion, and has three new dresses, whiUt my 'little jjirl,' like most small people, gets untidy very soon, so she has a change every two months. <% I have had some very funny letters in reference- to ventriloquial figures. Here is one from a gentleman at Birmingham, who says: ' Please send me down a semi-gruff voice for my old man !' Another writes: ' I havo gob the figures, but I want you to send me something for them to say.' Once when I was performing at Folkestone, a man applied at the hall for free- admission, and when told he could not be passed in, said, ' An, 1 after showin' my figgers on the beach, too, and tellin' all the people a3 how your figgers wos jusb as good. Look at the adrertisement!' He gained the day." •' Before I take my first lesson, tell me

Is it at all a Strain to Gain the Various Voices?" " Yes, sometimes. I never appear in a hall without " tiying' it. If I have a cold at all it) becomep very difficult to make my little girl talk as nicely as I should wish. Yes, singing is very trying. Do I practise at all ? Oh ! dear no, unless I am going to introduce anything new." "And now Ithink I am ready foi my firs j lesson." He looked grave, rose from his seat and pushed back the easy chair; then with a sudden, cheery, " All right! now follow me yery closely," he proceeded to give me a very simple, yet thoroughly effective, sample of ventriloquism, which anyone can test for themselves. "Remember," he said, u this art is a natural gift, thero is nob the slighteat trickery about it. We will suppose you are not naturally a ventriloquist, Very well, then. Here is a capital little method whereby a very good effect can be produced. Are you ready ?" He thon took from the table an ordinary i tumbler, saying

"See There is no Deception," and placed it on the cloth again. Standing about a couple of feet from the table, he commenced :— ! " Halloa ! how are you getting on down there ? Eh ! what say ? Can't you hear me —speak a little louder ?" and coming: nearer and near to the tumbler he continued speaking until his mouth was clo6e to the edge of the glass, when somebody seemed to answer down in the cellar and in quite a different tone of voice : "Oh ! I'm pretty well—how are you ?" I tested tho simple plan and found it remarkably easy to accomplish. The whole effect is produced by speaking into tho glass, tho voice 13 compressed into a small space, and it is perhaps the most practical illustration of what ventriloquism really This idea can be easily developed by the making of a small table—such aa conjuror use with a hole in the centre to receive the glass, a secret aliding-lid to Hide the opening, and, with a ffinge of cloth to prevent the tumbler being seen, the apparatus is complete.