Customer Reviews

Ventriloquism Made Easy: How to Talk to Your Hand Without Looking Stupid! Second Edition

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

As someone who got interested in ventriloquism (and eventually dumped a 20 year newspaper career to work with WOODEN dummies) I was often frustrated reading how-to-do-ventriloquism books. Most were either amazingly boring, unknowingly pompous, or filled with cutsey-comments that seemingly padded an explanation of what I believe is actually a relatively easy "art" (if you are nutty enough to practice in front of a mirror until you perfect the "hard" letters). This is one of my FAVORITE now to do ventriloquism books -- and to this day it remains the funniest. I still do a routine in my show based on the structure of one of Paul Stadelman's classic bits (I have long since replaced the actual jokes). The late Paul Stadelman was a "classic" and I believe underrated vent who performed, taught and was on television for many years. And this book is worth it's price just for the zippy routines with Stadelman and his dummy Windy Higgins. These don't go on and on with long set-ups but are punchy, quick pay-off bits (and if Stadelman used a pun it was seldom groan-inducing). Stadelman was clearly more influenced by vaudeville and comedy teams than by other ventriloquists (which I think is GOOD). At the least these routines help readers understand routine construction and setup-joke structure. The late, wonderful Col. Bill Boley (another performer who deserved a higher national profile since there are zillions of ventriloquists running around doing bits of his published work and others who painstakingly "emulate" his original routines) was the only other ventriloquist whose published routines came CLOSE to doing this. And to TEACH you vent? This book has it all. It gives you the substitute letters (to say for the hard letters) and words to practice to perfect them. It also tells you how to make a puppet out of your hand, gives you performing tips, has some great ventriloquism-related photos, and and list of suppliers and organizations (some of this is outdated now). If someone was interested in "vent" and had this book, George Schindler's Ventriloquism: Magic With Your Voice and the in-its-own-class Maher Studios correspondence course they'd have it all. Plus, if they have this book they're going to also have some BIG laughs while reading it. Paul Stadelman is truly ventriloquism's unsung hero!

I just got the book and already I am starting to get the hang of it. I am nowhere near good enough to take it on the road, but this book will give you the tools to feel confedent right from the start.

This is an easy to read and use book and a great activity to do with your kids, particularly if they have any speech difficulties. You can get started with a sock puppet if you like, so it's also inexpensive.

If you're thinking about starting ventriloquism it's not as hard as you think, especially if you have this book. I never realized that the techniques of ventriloquism were so easy! You don't have to have a "gifted" mouth to do it. This is a MUST HAVE for any beginning ventriloquist. An EXCELLENT easy to follow teaching aid.

Any book with Steve Axtell on the cover gets my attention. Ax is one of the driving forces in puppetry, and would not pose for a cover on a whim. Bruce & Paul, the authors, have collected all the basics needed to start practicing vent. Lots of good tips for beginners on performance, sample scripts, and all around valuable info.

I really can not say anything that others more eloquent than myself have already said. Ventriloquism seemed like a very difficult and mysterious art form before reading this book. Not anymore, the craft is broken down into clearly explained steps that are really quite easily accomplished. As any performer knows it is not the song that is sung, or magic trick that is done, or the joke that is told, it is always "how" it is performed, that is what sets apart the practitioner from the artist. This book will set you on the path of becoming an artist.

This book seems to cover the basic instructions to learn ventriloquism. Still the best way to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice.

My husband being a beginner ventriloquist found this book to be very easy to follow. Taught him how to write his own skits and shows how to hold your mouth to properly say the words.