11/22/11

Captain Dick's Ventriloquism Rules

Basic Rule of Ventriloquism: "Ventriloquism is not hard to learn, it is just hard to do."

Rule for Accomplishment: "If you study, you'll learn how to do it.  If you practice, you'll become able to do it."

Movement Rule: "Watch people and make the figures behave the same way they do."

Voice Rule: "Always imagine that you are on radio and make sure the audience will be able to tell that there are two people."

Lip Control Rule: "Practice substitutions as much as you possibly can, and do your very best ... but don't shoot yourself just because your lip twitched!"

Rule For Dummy Handling: "If you don't believe your dummy is alive, and treat it as if it were, no one else will believe it either."

Rule for Practice: "Do it!"

Rule for Character Development: "Remember that skill makes the illusion work, but it's the character that makes the audience enjoy it."

Rule for Performing: "Any audience, whether they are paying you or not, deserves your best.  You are taking their time, and asking them to give you their approval."

Rule to Protect the Ventriloquial Image: "Never admit that you can't throw your voice, and never attempt to perform without some mis-directive object."

Rule for Reacting to Negative Reactions: "Your friends may think you are weird.  That's great! Un-weird people are boring!"
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From All At Sea Over Ventriloquism, Captain Dick's Logbook by Richard P. Wightman, alias "Captain Dick." Copyright 1987.

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