Ventriloquism

Ventriloquism is a form of performance art in which one attempts to make it appear as though one's voice is coming from somewhere other than his or her mouth. In most cases, ventriloquism is performed with the use of a dummy or puppet that the operator manipulates and voices so that it looks like it is moving and talking on its own. To effectively pull off the illusion, the ventriloquist must be able to produce a full range of consonant and vowel sounds without noticeably moving his or her lips or lower jaw. Ventriloquists have to project their voice toward the dummy to further lead audiences to believe that the sound is actually coming from the dummy. In most cases, ventriloquism is performed as a stage comedy act. Some notable ventriloquists include Edgar Bergen, who rose to fame in the mid-twentieth century with the help of his famous dummy Charlie McCarthy, and Jeff Dunham, who brought ventriloquism into the twenty-first century with a cast of dummy characters such as the miserly Walter and the whacky Peanut.

Background

The history of ventriloquism dates back to antiquity. The early ventriloquists of ancient Greece, who were often referred to as necromancers, were among the first to master the skill of producing speech without moving the lips. Because necromancers did not typically use dummies or puppets, the sound of their projected voices appeared to be coming from the heavens. As a result, many people believed that necromancers were mediums that somehow produced the voices of the dead from their stomachs. This ability led to the emergence of the term ventriloquist. Ventriloquist is derived from the Latin word ventiloquus, which means "belly speaker."

By the Middle Ages, the mystical nature of early ventriloquism led many to view the practice as part of the occult. For this reason, ventriloquists often were accused of witchcraft, and some were even put to death. Such harsh views of ventriloquism continued as the norm until the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Around that time, ventriloquism began to be viewed as a form of entertainment. One of the key moments in the evolution of ventriloquism came during this period when Austrian ventriloquist Baron von Mengen started using a doll with a moving mouth as part of his act. From this point forward, ventriloquism and puppetry were inextricably linked. Another important step forward was the publication of Le Ventriloque ou L'Engastrimythe (The Ventriloquist or Belly Speaker) in 1772. Written by Abbé de la Chappelle, Le Ventriloque ou L'Engastrimythe was the first book to approach ventriloquism from a non-spiritual perspective and served as the definitive guide to practicing the art form for generations of ventriloquists.

The popularity of ventriloquism grew throughout the nineteenth century as ventriloquists gradually began to make their dummies or puppets the stars of the show, often giving them distinct names and characters. By the early twentieth century, ventriloquists were performing in theaters, halls, and other establishments across Europe and the United States. The introduction of radio and television furthered the popularization of ventriloquism. Although its popularity eventually waned to some degree, ventriloquism remains a unique and creative form of performance art.

Overview

The three essential elements to any successful ventriloquist act are lip control, a convincing dummy, and strong manipulation skills. The art of ventriloquism is based on creating the illusion that the dummy is speaking and moving on its own. To make this illusion as effective as possible, the ventriloquist must be able to hide what he or she is doing to bring the dummy to life. As a result, the ability to speak without moving the lips is arguably the most important part of ventriloquism. To do this, ventriloquists must be able to sound out letters and words with the tongue and throat while keeping the lips and lower jaw still and only slightly open. Most letters are relatively easy to pronounce this way. A few, called the labial consonants, however, cannot be pronounced at all without moving the lips. To make up for this, ventriloquists simply substitute these letters with other similar sounds. The sound for the letter B, for example, may be replaced with the sound for G or D. When done correctly, the ventriloquist can trick audience members into hearing what they expect to hear instead of what he or she is actually saying.

The next most important part of ventriloquism is the dummy itself. A ventriloquist must select a dummy that is unique and lifelike. Dummies often are made of wood, hard plastic, or soft materials such as felt. The design of each dummy is tailored to help communicate its intended character and personality. A dummy that is meant to be happy and easygoing may be crafted to have a large smile and rosy cheeks, while a dummy that is supposed to have a grouchier attitude might wear a permanent scowl. These creative touches help audiences better understand the dummy's character and deepen their belief in the illusion that it is a living being.

The final component of a good ventriloquism act is the ventriloquist's ability to manipulate his or her dummy. Bringing a dummy to life is about more than just giving it a voice. Ventriloquists have to learn how to properly operate the dummy so that it seems as lifelike as possible. While the simplest dummies may have little more than moveable mouths, more complex dummies have complex controls for eye, head, arm, and other movements. The better a ventriloquist is at manipulating his or her dummy, the easier it becomes for the audience to suspend disbelief and accept the illusion.

A truly skilled ventriloquist can turn his or her talent into a full-time professional career. Edgar Bergen is generally considered the most successful professional ventriloquist of all time. Alongside his dummy counterpart Charlie McCarthy, Bergen started out on the Vaudeville stage and eventually became a star after taking his act onto radio and television. Bergen's performances helped popularize ventriloquism in mid-twentieth century America and set the stage for other ventriloquists who followed him. One of those later ventriloquists was Jeff Dunham, who has achieved great success with an act featuring popular dummy characters such as the cranky, geriatric Walter; the strange purple alien Peanut; and the mild-mannered José Jalapeño on a Stick.

Bibliography

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