The Edinburgh Fringe and the Great Beyond
The Fringe Festival has been in existence for just as long as the Edinburgh Festival proper. Both inceptions are inextricably knitted together and began life bound up way back in 1947. Our story begins when what can only sufficiently be described as a mob of eight theatre companies turned up uninvited to the newly formed Edinburgh International Festival. Taking advantage of the huge crowds pulled in by the official festivities, these rogue gatecrashers bolstered their way in with one grisly intent: to showcase their alternative and edgier drama to the unassuming masses.
The following year Scottish playwright and journalist Robert Kemp covered the festival. In his report he described how “Round the fringe of the official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before… I am afraid some of us are not going to be at home during the evenings!” Coverage like that was obviously something too enticing to be passed up and Kemp’s description was taken on by the companies. From this point on the ramshackle bunch of illegitimate performers were banded together, drawn in by one report and given a name. They were no longer the shabby, uninvited trouble makers at the party; they were ‘The Fringe’.
During the 1950s and 60s the popularity of the Fringe element of the Festival underwent somewhat of, well if not a boom, than a definite and distinctive blossoming. In the twenty years from 1959-1989 performance companies at the Fringe expanded from just 19 to 494. Since the 90s the popularity of the Fringe has simply exploded. Last year it is estimated that 1,697,293 tickets were sold to Fringe sector productions alone.
And there, it would seem, is the rub. How can you compare the handful of studenty productions that kicked around the first years of the Edinburgh Fringe to the million selling shows of today? Frankly, in quite a literal sense, the Edinburgh Fringe has sold out. It has sold out because it has had little choice to do otherwise.
The popularity of the festival is not just the only threat to the Fringe’s identity though. For the past twenty years detractors have commented on the slow invasion of stand-up comedy. In fact, The Stage reported on the 5th June that this year will see the first time that comedy shows will out number any other genres. It stated that there will be 668 comedy shows in 2008, a whopping 32% of the total. What’s more, where as the Fringe has long been associated with rising talent, many have criticised the recent move of established names putting on huge shows at the festival. Ricky Gervais charging over 30 GBP for a ticket to his stand-up show amassed a lot of negative attention before it was announced that all proceeds were being donated to Cancer Research.
So, as many have asked, how has this been allowed to happen? How has this fairly bohemian rebellion been turned into a playground for the stargazers and the super rich? Well, the answer, as is so often the case, is embedded in the very seed of the thing itself. If we peer back through the history of the Fringe, through the success, the smoke and the mirrors to the grimy digs of its origin, we come to its hazy vague manifesto… or lack thereof. In 1959 a constitution was drawn up in which the policy of neither vetting nor censoring shows was established. From that point forward the principles have reached, well their logical conclusion.
When questioned about the influx of comic acts current director of the Fringe Jon Morgan exclaimed quite plainly “The fringe is an open access festival”. In effect, it is open to everyone who wants to perform and it always has been. The experience of the Fringe may be very different now to the one in the 40s and 50s, but the underlying principles that created whatever ‘golden’ era of the festival you care to remember are the same that now pull big brash names and bigger and brasher crowds. To claim that it’s lost its integrity, artistic or otherwise, is pointless because, by design, it never had any.
The only way to revert to the bygone bohemian age, if that is really possible or indeed what anyone wants, is to move on to pastures, places and performers new. Experimental drama need not be tied to any time or location, by its nature it should be free, unfettered and malleable.
However, if you simply want to sample the distinct magic of the Edinburgh Fringe then you’ll just have to look a little harder. Ignore the hype, and the crowds, and the press, and the celebrity, and the hangers-on, and seek that which really interests you.
With such diversity and variety bursting from every venue, the modern Fringe must have something to suit your taste. Seek, it seems, and so you shall find.
Samantha is a London theatre fanatic and regular West End theatregoer. She writes and researches some of the biggest London shows you can view examples of her work here Oliver
The Austin Museum of Art (AMOA)
This is truly a museum for the casual and creative Austinite. With two locations and loads of interesting exhibits and programs, AMOA is a great cultural destination for students, adults, and even parents and caregivers of young children.
The downtown location is a sleek and modern space, while the Laguna Gloria campus, AMOA’s original home, is housed within a 1916 Italiante villa. The primary home of the AMOA Art School, Laguna Gloria is located on property once owned by Stephen F. Austin, and was the residence of the legendary Clara Driscoll. Overlooking Lake Austin, and with 12 acres of beautiful grounds and gardens, Laguna Gloria is worth a visit purely on historical merit. Both locations have permanent and changing exhibits, and both have space available for private functions.
One of the hallmarks of both AMOA locations is the informal structure and feel. No stuffy, hallowed grounds here instead you find welcoming, easy to navigate floor plans full of surprising and interesting exhibits. You can tour at your own speed, reading the descriptions that are mounted next to each exhibit, or you can book a gallery tour, which are available with different age groups in mind. The compact size of the exhibit space adds to the experience the visitor can spend time with each exhibit, getting more from the experience than one where you rush through to make sure you see it all. The exhibits are right out there something to keep in mind when you bring kids there are no barriers between fast little critters and the actual exhibit.
Still, the AMOA makes a point to be accessible and interesting to children as well. In addition to offering a number of free events for families, the museum has a permanent FamilyLab. The FamilyLab is a fantastic experience for kids of all ages. It is a hands-on, interactive place to make art with creative and colorful items supplied by the museum. They also have children’s books on hand, along with bean bag chairs, in case your little one just needs a cuddle. The mirror tunnel is endlessly fascinating, and all activities in the FamilyLab are offered at no additional cost to museum admission. The second Saturday of every month AMOA offers a reduced admission for families, with art instructors leading families in creating art projects to take home.
AMOA offers art classes for children and adults, with a limited number of scholarships available. Class themes include ArtPlay, ArtABCs, Life Drawing, Watercolor, Children’s Book Illustration, and many, many more. They have for the Art School. They offer periodical education programs for teachers, docents, adults, children, and groups. They offer a myriad of interesting events, sometimes pairing visual arts with music, both for their valued members and for the public. Events include their annual fundraisers, the Art Ball in June, and their fantastically popular international food and wine tasting event, La Dolce Vita. Their museum store offers cups, shirts and other items with their distinctive logo, as well as art-inspired gifts.
Ki works as a realtor in the Austin real estate market. He keeps visitors updated on current mortgage rates along with providing a graphical Austin MLS search.
Celebrity Obsession A Stage Too Far?
Author, director, comedian, physician and all round polymath Jonathan Miller has been all over The Times and the BBC this week running the West End into the proverbial square ditch. Miller insisted that because his version of Hamlet was cast by relative unknowns he couldn’t get a gig in the West End. “Producers might have been swayed” he contends, “if I’d been prepared to put in for more luminous names”.
Attacks may not come any more thinly veiled than that, but Miller continues his tirade by discussing the two versions of Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy that are currently sulking moodily in the West End. The version at the Wyndams Theatre is fronted by a Mr Jude Law whom Miller suspects “can’t act better than the young unknown who played him for me” whilst at the RSC they have “that man from Dr Who”. Of course, Miller is referring here to hip, young actor David Tennant who will be leading the company from 24th July.
Of course, Miller’s remarks have not gone unnoticed by the theatrical powers that be. The artistic director of the RSC, Michael Boyd, hit back by declaring that though he “understood” Sir Jonathan’s frustrations, Tennant was not cast as Hamlet just “because he is Doctor Who”, but “because he is an excellent actor who deserves to play the role” Boyd went on to site the work Tennant has already done with the company before becoming a household name, starring in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and The Comedy of Errors.
David continues: “Of course, the fact that David went on to become hugely popular as Doctor Who and for his other popular TV roles, means that he brings with him audiences who would not necessarily have booked to see Hamlet which can only be a good thing,”…
Hang on a minute, we’ve suddenly veered into fairly familiar waters haven’t we? Theatre producers refuting claims of ‘dumbing down’ by insisting that they are ‘drawing in new audiences’. One envisages Webber and Mackintosh, probably capped in berets, calling out from their golden soapbox at the head of a long line of theatrical liberators. But can theatre really be dressed up in this ‘Masses Vs Classes’ kefuffle? Art, surely, is for art sake?
So then we come to the crunch, how does this affect quality? Does sticking Christian Slater in the Edinburgh run of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest make the production any better or worse? That, of course, is nigh on impossible to answer; would it even have got the gig without his big Hollywood name plastered all over it? One thing is certain though, it does make the play stand out. A familiar face is recognisable whether it is a pleasing sight or not.
With established West End musicals like Chicago casting, well, dubious pop stars like Kelly Osbourne and Duncan James for brief turns in its run, we may question some of the underlying motives working behind the scenes. Are performers like Osbourne and James really the most talented people vying for the role, or are they cast because they have the highest profile?
Similarly, the front page of this week’s Stage Newspaper is adorned with the exclusive story that Gareth Gates is to make his West End debut in a one night Stiles and Drewe tribute gala at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Accompanied by a throng of ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and ‘How do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ finalists, the more cynical reader may question why this fairly underwhelming spectacle is splashed across the front page? The answer, quite simply, is because Celebrity (Sex’s flatter and more nauseatingly vain half cousin) sells.
Miller’s attack on West End producers might carry more weight if star-studdied performances, good or bad, didn’t attract the biggest crowds. Perhaps if theatre was given a more central role in popular entertainment audiences would be more familiar with the art form and worry less about catching a famous name in the lime light. Until then celebrities will draw the biggest crowds, the highest prices and, unfortunately for Sir Jonathan Miller, the best theatres.
Samantha is a London theatre fanatic and regular West End theatregoer. She writes and researches some of the biggest London shows you can view examples of her work here London Shows, Dirty Dancing and Joseph.
Digital Ash In A Digital Urn: Does The Digital Age Mean The Death Sentence For Live Theatre?
With so much content beaming freely across the web, consumers have never had such unfettered access to entertainment. Dilating bandwiths have meant data transfers have shrunk to infinitesimal speeds and, as entire fleets of pirate P2P websites and media data streamers career off all over the place, the notion of actually paying for entertainment is quickly becoming rather odious.
With a West End theatre seat costing you easily in excess of 20GBP, the economic future of live drama is looking decidedly well, shaky. Pair this with the increasing dependence that West End shows have on celebrity and many have forecasted murky waters ahead.
Matt Wolf from the Guardian describes the recent Hollywood invasion of the West End as the “visiting celebrity cavalcade” come to rescue the dwindling audiences dribbling through the gate. A few years ago, Sheriden Morley described in the New York Times how the influx of celebrity had “turned London audiences, once the best and most perceptive in the world, into mindless stargazers.”
Pretty stern stuff isn’t it? But then, that might not be the whole story. After all, can we really declare that traditional theatre has lost its bite?
It certainly hadn’t just over ten years ago, when Sarah Kane’s Blasted premiered at the Royal Court. The fury that splashed over the front pages of nearly every national newspaper the next morning was burnt into the mind of anyone that dared to assume that theatre had lost its power to shock. The violence in the play is no worse than is found in the tamest of Tarantino flicks so why the outrage?
Quite simply, in the cinema, on television or on DVD, the action happens elsewhere, in a shifting world behind a screen. In the theatre, the action is right in front of you; you can hear it, feel it and, if you were really so inclined, you could reach out and touch it. You can watch actors enact the most brutal or intimate scenes on hi-res plasma screens anywhere, but only in the theatre can they watch you right back.
What’s more, It might not just be the available ‘experience’ that saddles defiantly in theatre’s corner. Theatre, it seems, has quietly started embedding itself within popular culture. Although slightly fewer than its predecessors, Ofcom insists that the BBC’s hunt to cast a new West End version of Oliver!, “I’d Do Anything”, steadily attracts over 5 million viewers. Match this with the recent crop of copycat shows like “Hairspray: The School Musical”, which is currently preparing to air on SkyOne, and it may look like there’s fight in the old girl yet.
To many, theatre may not seem like the most viable economic prospect; who would want to pay for entertainment when they can get huge budget content streamed to their home for next to nothing? But then that may be the whole point, where as ‘content’ can be zipped, transfered and then unzipped at any computer the world over, theatre cannot.
Theatre will be affected by technological advances, of course it will, and it may need to change in order to progress, but it cannot be trampled over by the digital stampede because it is a totally different entertainment animal. Streamers may supersede television schedules and force licence fee funded institutions into remission, but it cannot replace what it cannot do to begin with. Theatre is temporal, magical, immediate, personal and not, under any circumstances, available to download.
Samantha is a London theatre fanatic and regular West End theatregoer. She writes and researches some of the biggest London shows you can view examples of her work here London Shows, Dirty Dancing and Joseph.
Rising Theatre Audiences - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
The darkening financial climate is pretty much unavoidable at the minute. If you’re not queuing up at the supermarket spending 15% more for half a dozen eggs than you would have done five minutes ago, then 150 journalists and financial advisors are lined up round the block to tell you about it.
Fuel costs are rocketing to record new heights and the price of a barrel of crude oil, if you really wanted to buy one, is nearing the astronomical sum of $200.
That, of course, is not nearly the half of it. The slump in house prices and the rise of inflation mean that families with standard mortgages do not have anywhere near the amount of disposable income than they did two years ago. Match this to tightening credit crunch and the future looks depressingly frugal.
With times being so distinctly tight at the minute, surely families are less likely to indulge in expensive little trips to the West End. Or are they? The Sun, amongst others, are calling 2008 the best year for British tourism in years. With this dodgy financial situation looming, growing worries about carbon emissions and a heroically strong euro, many holidaymakers are choosing their vacations a little closer to home. City breaks and long weekends are on the up which means that, despite what you may think about luxuries like West End theatre trips, they may be a lot more economically sound than taking far flung foreign holidays. A night out at the theatre in London as part of a city break may be just the tonic for the bubbling inflation costs.
This, of course, is if the West End continues to offer the same package as they do now. Great glittering epics like the Lord of the Rings or Gone With the Wind use state of the art stagecraft to recreate their vast dramatic landscapes. Expensive hydraulic systems twist, turn and contort the sets to change from one scene to next. Meanwhile, Hollywood A-listers currently grace the cast lists of anything from Mamet to Chekhov and hoist inflated gate prices as they go. In short, some of the more indulgent shows in the West End can afford to ’shed a few pounds’ so to speak.
The morbid financial climate will mean that families have to cut back on certain extravagant expenses, naturally, but it might be fairer to say that adjusting how we use our money will help us out a lot more. With more people choosing to side step foreign holidays in favour of shorter, city breaks then our love affair with institutions like the West End may not be a one night thing after all, but instead be with us well into the long term.
Samantha is a London theatre fanatic and regular West End theatregoer. She writes and researches some of the biggest London shows you can view examples of her work here London Shows, Dirty Dancing and Joseph.
Dancing Styles & Dance Moves for Beginners
There are so many different genres of dance that one can feel overwhelmed when he or she thinks of learning to dance. However it is not as complicated as it seems.
Firstly, to excel at a certain style it may take years of practice, to be able to cope with several types of dancing is not quite as hard. For many people who enjoy a range of activities, it is much more beneficial to learn a little about each style and not a lot about just one. This is because the usual person in today’s world will be exposed and often “pressured” into dancing at a variety of events. Therefore someone may encounter hip-hop, ballroom, and break dancing styles all in a very short period of time.
The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the main types of dance and some of the moves needed for each.
Hip-hop is a great dance style to be familiar with as it can be used whenever there is a faster beat. Also, don’t think that hip-hop is just for those with baggy pants and lots of neck chains, anyone can benefit from acquiring this skill.
The most basic element of this genre is time-steps, a name also used for ballet moves. These require that you step in certain directions in time with the beat that is playing. “Step-tap” is one of these moves where you step to one side and then follow with your other foot and tapping it as it lands, continue this left and right.
A variation of this is “tap-step” where you tap with your first foot. You can experiment with many variations of these time-steps and maybe even create some of your own.
Another basic movement which looks great with a fast beat is isolations, where you separate movement in the upper body from the lower body. This can mean moving your shoulders back and forward while the rest of your body is still or swiveling your ankles creating movement while the rest of your body is still. These moves are the basics of hip-hop dance and should help in any club or dance party.
Ballroom dances can be some of the most difficult to perform perfectly due to the high levels of coordination required. However with some very handy tips, you should be able to impress, even if it’s only at your next wedding.
Firstly, always move in a counterclockwise direction and the closer you are to the middle of the dance floor, the slower you should go. This is a helpful tip to remember as it gives direction and purpose which will affect the rest of your dancing. Another easy tip is that if you are a woman, you should start with your right foot as opposed to a man, who should lead with his left.
If you want to impress your dancing partner, try this one technique. Just before you launch off, lean into the direction you will go and lean according to how far you will step. This tells your partner you are ready to go and does not jerk them roughly. These tips will hopefully save you from embarrassment on the slower dance floors where everything is under scrutiny.
Although break dancing may sound like something you would never want to do let alone try doing, break dancing for beginners can give you a few simple moves that will help keep you in time with the beat while helping you relax and enjoy your time spent dancing.
These moves are for the club or disco although you are free to show them off at the next ball or wedding you attend. The first move is the hand glide and just requires you to put one hand on the floor and tuck the other into your chest, then use your free hand to push yourself around until you are spinning on your hand. You can go as fast as you can manage. A head spin is a great looking move which isn’t as hard as it seems, place your head and hands on the floor and spin around. Much practice may be needed!
Not only are these moves fun, but they are great at building muscle strength.
So don’t worry if you can’t master all of these techniques, as long as you got some handy tips then you are already much better off. You are probably now a much better dancer than the average person. If you were very intrigued by one or more of these styles then maybe you should take up a course in your local town or city in order to really improve your skills. You may not have seen yourself as a dancer but it is something that with a little practice, anyone can impress with.
Ant Onaf is a content producer in association with LearnClubDance.com (http://www.learnclubdance.com), an online retailer which sell videos to those who want to learn how to dance.
Have You Seen the Broadway Musical Young Frankenstein?
The musical Young Frankenstein open on Broadway in November of 2007, and it was a hit right from the beginning. The musical is an adaptation of the 1974 film by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder.
Based on Mary Shelley’s horror novel published in 1818, the Gothic story was first made into a science fiction film in 1910. It has since been made into motion pictures, comics, theatrical performances and even a mini series. There have been sequels of the movie, including Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, a story about the original Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson.
Young Frankenstein is a tongue and cheek look at the original Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson attempt at the “family business” after he discovers he’s inherited the original Frankenstein castle in Transylvania.
After arriving at the castle, Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson begins crazy experiments, among them transplanting a live brain in a cadaver. The experiment works, but the brain in defective. The story then follows the newly created monster as he rampages throughout the village, but also find himself in many crazy situations.
The majority of the plot of this musical is largely adapted from Mel Brooks’ 1974 film with the same name. There are just a few minor variations. The movie depicts the young Dr. Frankenstein as a lecturer at a medical school. In the musical, he is a brain surgeon. Although these are different careers, they do offer him equal qualifications to fulfill the task laid before him.
There is a brief scene in the movie version where the monster encounters a young girl. But you won’t find this scene in the play. However, the creature still meets the blind hermit. These scenes were similar to scenes in the original Frankenstein movie.
In the movie, Elizabeth and the monster get married as do Frederick Frankenstein and Inga. In the musical version, although these four do pair up as already mentioned, the play ends before any nuptials take place. The musical has been expanded and has more scenes and longer scenes due to the musical numbers added to the Broadway production. More humor was also added, making the play a comical experience, indeed.
One of the things that makes it so funny is that Mel Brooks was involved with the musical as much as he was with his 70’s movie. Brooks saw how popular The Producers was, he wanted to duplicate its success with Young Frankenstein. Brooks teamed up with Thomas Meehan and together they created the parody of Brooks’ earlier film.
Both Young Frankenstein the movie and Young Frankenstein the musical have received awards and nominations for awards for their performances in this crazy comical adaptation of what was originally a very serious horror film that left no room for humor.
The Broadway musical production of Young Frankenstein is largely adapted from the hysterical movie version starring Gene Wilder. If you liked the movie, you ought to love this musical. Young Frankenstein is certainly a humorous look at the classic horror novel, Frankenstein.
Although Young Frankenstein performed a pre-Broadway engagement in Seattle August 7 through September 1, 2007, there has been no indication that the humorous musical will be showing at any other venues outside New York City. In New York City, however, the play is performing both on and off Broadway.
Jason OConnor writes for http://www.ClickitTicket.com where you can buy Young Frankenstein Tickets and other Broadway Tickets
Dancing And Having Rhythm
Learning to dance is fun - and it is easy. In a sense it is like learning a new language - a language in which moods and emotions are expressed in movement; a language of rhythm, grace and harmony. It is new - but in a very real sense it is the oldest language in the world, for dancing is the oldest form of art.
We know people danced as far back as the beginning of recorded history. The dance appeared in various forms in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Dancing gives expression to a deeply rooted emotion in man so profound as to border on reverence. This is evidenced by the fact that some early dances were a part of religious rites. The Bible mentions dancing in numerous places - one of the most frequently quoted verses being that taken from the 150th Psalm: “Praise ye the Lord in all your songs and dances.”
There is an instinctive urge in all of us to express rhythm. Primitive men satisfy this urge by beating drums and dancing around a campfire until they drop from sheer exhaustion. We, of the civilized world, satisfy this same instinctive urge in a more cultured way. We dance in a conventional manner to rhythmic music and conform to certain set patterns. We observe the rules of conduct that society has set for us.
Dancing is a wholesome, natural outlet for the emotions. It develops grace and poise, timing and balance. Men take pride in their ability to lead their partners with assurance and poise. Girls enjoy the ability to follow their partners smoothly, expertly and correctly. The ability to dance develops personality, and above all - it is fun.
Unfortunately, however, many persons miss out on this fun because they do not dance well. Girls are apprehensive that they will not be able to follow their partners. Men are worried about stepping on their partner’s toes. Many persons are reluctant to try to learn to dance, because they believe they do not have a sense of rhythm.
This is regrettable, for all of us have a sense of rhythm. Rhythm is one of the governing laws that make for order in the universe. Rhythm appears in many phases. The competent typist has rhythm; the public speaker, the musician, the author all make use of rhythm in the practice of their arts. Even the engine in our automobile has rhythm - it must fire in perfect time to operate successfully.
Even after learning a few of the simpler steps, some people are still afraid to relax and keep time to the accompanying music because they fear they will make a mistake and be ridiculed. This fear of criticism and ridicule can be so overpowering as to cause certain persons to become immobile. If the desire to dance is thwarted often enough, a psychological block can be set up in the nervous system which leads to discouragement and a desire to stop trying, and these folks say, “I have no sense of rhythm.”
Dancing has been described as poetry in motion. By observing the similarity between the rhythm of speech, particularly as applied to poetry, and the rhythm of motion, as applied to dancing, anyone who can recite a simple jingle in rhythm can learn to dance.
Occasionally a person will come to our studio and insist that he absolutely has no rhythm. We frequently ask such persons to read: “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” After pointing out to them that they do have a sense of rhythm, or they could not have recited this poem in perfect meter, they develop confidence enough to apply themselves to learning rhythm of movement.
I have never met a person who could speak, who could not recite poetry rhythmically. Reciting poetry, naturally, is easier for most people than moving the body in perfect rhythm. Some people learn to coordinate more easily than others, but with practice it can be learned, and it is simply not true that you, or anyone else, cannot learn to dance because you do not have a sense of rhythm.
Who Else Wants The Dance Lesson To Be A John Travolta On The Dance Floor?
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http://www.thedancelesson.com/
A Brief Look at the Successful Ventriloquist
After taking a few lessons the student may find that he has a hitherto unsuspected talent for the art of ventriloquism, which only needs proper cultivation to be made a source of amusement and profit. As in music, there is a certain technique which must be thoroughly mastered before one can become proficient, and certain exercises conducing to voice production and culture which must be faithfully gone through with before one can give an efficient exhibition before the public.
One must learn how to use the mouth and tongue to achieve certain results, how to speak interiorily with entirely motionless and almost closed lips, and how to make each of the sounds or voices used distinctive in tone, pitch and character.
The successful ventriloquist must also be cool, confident and something of an actor. The voices to him present no illusion, and he can judge of his success only by their effect upon his audience. I say no illusion, but this is not quite true; for though he knows that he is creating the sounds, if he is thoroughly proficient, there seems a sort of isolation between himself and the voice which discourses with him. If he is talking with “a man on the roof ” and his performance is perfect, the voice almost seems even to him to be that of another person and he enters into argument with it with as much earnestness as if this were so.
The farther removed a ventriloquist is from his audience, the greater the illusion he creates, and yet it is remarkable how near the auditor can stand to the performer without being disillusioned. During a performance given at a fair in Masonic Temple, Boston, several years ago, I had for my stage only a round dais at one end of the hall, raised scarcely two feet above the floor.
The audience stood so close to the platform that I could almost touch the foremost persons, and I felt that under such conditions I could have very little success. But even here, a bright young lady who stood among those in the first rank of the crowd and directed her attention entirely to my face and lips in order to test the matter, afterward assured me that the illusion of “the man Under the floor” was perfect, and that the voice did not seem to proceed at all from myself. This may sound egotistical, but I simply relate the incident to show the perfection which may be obtained, and for the encouragement of those among my readers who desire to take up the art.
Unlike the magician, who requires an elaborate “fit-up” to properly perform his illusions, the ventriloquist always has the mysterious at his command. From a haystack by the country roadside or from behind the closed portals of an empty store or the depths of an open sewer in the city, he can evoke “spirits” to amaze and mystify the hearers, which yet exist in nothing more substantial than his own voice.
A half-hour’s exhibition of ventriloquism with the aid of mechanical figures, which carry on a bright and amusing dialogue with the performer and possibly contribute a song or two, varied by conversation with invisible people or imitations of various tools and musical instruments after methods which will be explained later, will often be eagerly accepted as an agreeable departure from the monotony of readings and vocal and instrumental music usually given at local entertainments.
Are You Serious About Wanting To Be A Ventriloquist? Here’s How To Master This Time Honored Art!
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http://www.theventriloquist.net/
Find Your Groove with Motor City Jazz and Blues
Detroit City in the early 1900s was a pulsing industrial center, surrounded by sprawling steel and automotive plants. Jobs were plentiful and workers were needed. During that labor wave, thousands of African Americans from the south flocked to Detroit, seeking work and a better life. With them, they brought the Blues.
The music spoke of the struggles, trials and travesties of African Americans in this land. Detroit embraced the music and soon became a hot spot for the Blues, fostering the careers of such artists as John Lee Hooker, Sippie Wallace and Son House.
In addition, Detroit also had a significant impact on the development of Jazz in this nation. Home to the Mckinney’s Cotton Pickers, one of the most influential bands in jazz history, Detroit was and continues to be an epicenter of Jazz expression.
Not surprisingly, Detroit continues to generate a prestigious roster of jazz and blues musicians today. Their music is offered up at both new and historic venues on a nightly basis.
The Firefly Club in Ann Arbor is Metro Detroit’s premier jazz and blues club. The environs are nostalgic with a touch of casual sophistication. It’s the only venue showcasing both top national and regional talents - from top saxophonists and pianists to local Big Band and Dixieland.
Offering superb live jazz and delicious food in an intimate setting, the Harlequin Cafe in Detroit serves up an authentic decor and even more authentic jazz. The jazz shouldn’t be missed here during Detroit’s famous International Jazz Festival.
A Detroit staple for nearly 80 years, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge has hosted most every important and infamous Jazz musician in the country including Dave Bruebeck, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson, Cab Calloway, and Betty Carter, to name a few. Equally exciting were the unexpected jam sessions - like the night Nat King Cole came to the club and sat in on the piano or Ella Fitzgerald stopped and stayed to sing. Though those golden years are gone by, audiences are still treated to traditional jazz, delicious soul food, and an amazing historic atmosphere.
When the likes of Wynton Marsalis or Detroit-born saxophonist James Carter come to town, they’re known to hang out at Bert’s Marketplace for an impromptu session. Open since the 1980s, the club has infused down-home jazz and soul food. Here, musicians and the audience are known to jam into the wee hours of the morning.
For an evening on the town, pull out the dress clothes and head to Flood’s Bar and Grille. The sleek and eloquent decor draw Detroit’s elite crowd. A sumptuous bar serves up killer cocktails - made only better by the sound of nightly live jazz and R&B. No jeans, sneakers or flip flops - the dress code is strictly enforced.
While it might be Royal Oak, the Blues and food at Memphis Smoke are straight from the South. This premier venue brings in some of the best Blues and Rock talent around and serves up barbecued pork ribs or spicy jambalaya. Acts take the stage nightly, making the restaurant a lively destination any night of the week.
One of Detroit’s best kept Blues secrets is found at Nancy Whiskey’s, a hole in the wall tavern visited weekly by Detroit’s best Blues artists. The food and drink are mildly priced and there’s no cover charge. Try the Nancy Whiskey Burger with a side of the “Live Acoustic” Jazz and Jam every Sunday.
Say supper club and most Detroiters will point to Seldom Blues. Named 2006 Free Press Restaurant of the Year, the high-end restaurant is located in the GM Renaissance Center and features a unique downtown entertainment and dining experience.
Diners enjoy inspired continental cuisine and a breathtaking view of the Detroit River and Canadian skyline. The Lobby Bar welcomes guests to the smooth sound of jazz while in the Main Bar, premium cocktails are served. No longer is it necessary to travel to New York or Chicago to hear the most talented national and regional artists. Seldom Blues’ own renowned recording artist and partner, Alexander Zonjic, performs regularly with his legendary friends.
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