The sight of a master comedian puppeteering his marionette, making it fool around and provoking guffaws from the audience, has long been one to behold for people across all age groups. However, there is much more to this art than just giving a voice to puppets, and the techniques involved in it are quite intricate. Here is all you need to know about the masterful art of ventriloquism.
ORIGINS:
Originally, ventriloquism was a religious practice. The name comes from the Latin words for ‘to speak from the stomach’, i.e. venter (belly) and loqui (speak). The noises generated by the stomach were thought to be the voices of the dead. The ventriloquist would then interpret the sounds, as they were considered to be having the ability to speak to the dead.
VENTRILOQUISM IN ENTERTAINMENT:
The advent of ventriloquism as a form of public entertainment began in the 17th century in Europe, particularly in England. A well known performer of the time, Joseph Askins, performing at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, advertised his acts as ‘a curious dialogue between himself and his invisible familiar’.
It really came of age in the era of music hall in England and the United States. Fred Russell, a British artist, is often regarded as ‘The Father of Modern Ventriloquism’, because he introduced the practice of wearing a puppet on a hand and conversing with it.
In India, the art of comedic ventriloquism was popularized by Ramdas Padhye and M.M.Roy, who brought it to the masses through shows on television.
TECHNIQUES:
Delving into how this unique art is actually performed, the skill of the performer actually lies in his ability to hoodwink the audience into misdirecting their attention towards the puppet on his hand. Speaking from the base of the throat, and barely moving his lips, the ventriloquist creates an illusion that the puppet is actually articulating, further amplifying the effect by extravagant and captivating facial gestures and hysterical dialogue.
RENOWNED PRACTITIONERS:
Fred Russell was the pioneer of ventriloquism, but the art was really propagated across the globe by the Englishman Arthur Prince and the Americans Frank Byron and Edward Bergen. In the current decade, Jeff Dunham is a YouTube star and a worldwide ventriloquism sensation. His characters, particularly ‘Achmed the dead terrorist’, have received great reviews from spectators.
Jeff Dunham
Nowadays, aspiring ventriloquists are gaining fame by appearing in various talent shows all over the world and excelling. Terry Fator appeared in ‘America’s Got Talent’ and had the audience in fits of laughter with his performances.
There is something about ventriloquism which makes it entertaining for everyone, and something as entertaining and as demanding of expertise and subtlety is definitely going to be relevant and popular even in the future.
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