Originally published in the 1930s, this is a comprehensively detailed guide to ventriloquism by a master of the art. The first art relates to the mechanism of ventriloquial voice, and describes the principles on which the art of ventriloquism is based and the correct methods of applying those principles. The second part is devoted to imitations of animals, birds and musical instruments. The third part deals with ventriloquial entertainments with figures. It contains information as to the construction of figures, mechanical appliances for working them, and suitable dialogues between them and the performer. Contents Include: How Do You Do It? - Human Vocal Organs - Mouth and Teeth, The Nose, Jaw Exercises, Throat and Neck Exercises, Tongue Exercise, Rubbing - Head Voice Exercise, Chest Voice, Head To Chest Voice Exercised, Humming and Female Voice, Grunting and the Male Voice - The Far-Distant Voice, Pronouncing Words - The Ventriloquist Without the Figure, Friends Outside the Window, The Returning Roysterer and the Policeman - The Sleeping Child - A Distinct Novelty - Cow, Donkey, Lion, Dog, Puppy, Pig, Horse, Cock-Crowing, Hen Chuckling, Little Chicks, Parrot - Trombone, Cornet, Saxaphone and Basso, Clarinet, Banjo, One-String Fiddle, Harp, Xylophone, Violoncello - Fireworks - Bluebottle Fly - Personality of Your Figures - Buying Your Figure - Repairs - Short Dialogue - Smoking and Drinking - Performing in a Room - For Stage Work - Girl Dialogue - Dialogue Page and Footman - Ventriloquial Sketch - Mrs. Brown's Tea Party - Instructions For Working the Miniature Ventriloquial Figures - Ventdollie Dialogue for Boy and Girl Figures

The Great Festival presents and analyzes two historical festivals - the ancient Dionysus Festival and the present Roskilde Festival. The purpose is to set up two comparable structures or 'codes' to explain the universal artistic effects, structures and fascination of the festival. Olav Harslof argues that there are major structural, organizational and economic similarities which, when exposed, can give us greater insight into today's festivals. This is illuminated through a combined performance design and event analysis of the ancient Dionysus festival and today's Roskilde Festival, explaining the festival's historicity, diversity, complexity and paradigmatic strength. This will be a discussion of great interest to researchers and students in the fields of performance studies, experience economy, theater, music, classical philology and archeology.

Step right up for the most captivating read of the year . . . Filled with the sights and sounds of Victorian England, Circus of Wonders is the instant Sunday Times bestseller from Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory. 'Intensely satisfying' - Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars England, 1866. When Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders arrives in a coastal village, Nell soon catches the showman's eye. Shunned by her community because of the birthmarks speckling her skin, to Jasper she is a prize - she could be his very own leopard girl. But how to make her his? Soon Nell finds herself the star of Jasper's show. Suddenly she is famous. Crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. Figurines are cast in her image. Even Queen Victoria wants to see her perform. But is Nell free to live and love as she chooses? And when her fame begins to eclipse Jasper's own, could she be in danger? After all, the higher you fly, the steeper the fall . . . 'Filled with character and life' - The Times 'Utterly beguiling' - Daily Mail 'Brilliantly involving' - Daily Express 'Exhilarating' - Sunday Times, Books of the Year 'An immersive gem' - Red 'Joyous, frightening, heartbreaking' - Independent 'Deliciously vivid' - Woman & Home

In this sophisticated and compelling introduction to puppet theatre, Penny Francis offers engaging contemporary perspectives on this universal art-form. She provides an account of puppetry's different facets, from its demands and techniques, through its uses and abuses, to its history and philosophy. Now recognized as a valuable and powerful medium used in the making of most forms of theatre and filmed work, those referring to Puppetry will discover something of the roots, dramaturgy, literature and techniques of this visual art form. The book gathers together material from an international selection of sources, bringing puppet theatre to life for the student, practitioner and amateur alike.

A selection of fifty of Guy de Maupassant's finest short stories, including "Was It a Dream?" "Madame Baptiste," "The Lancer's Wife," "The Relics," "The Carter's Wench," and many more!

In Truevine, Virginia, in 1899 everyone the Muse brothers knew was either a former slave, or a child or grandchild of slaves.

George and Willie Muse were just six and nine years old, but they worked the fields from dawn to dark. Until a white man offered them candy and stole them away to become circus freaks. For the next twenty-eight years, their distraught mother struggled to get them back. But were they really kidnapped? And how did their mother, a barely literate black woman in the segregated South, manage to bring them home? And why, after coming home, would they want to go back to the circus?

In Truevine, bestselling author Beth Macy reveals for the first time what really happened to the Muse brothers. It is an unforgettable story of cruelty and exploitation, but also of loyalty, determination and love.

One of Us Is Lying meets Lord of the Flies meets Fyre Fest in this wickedly addictive and funny YA thriller. Rafi Francisco needs something really special to put her true crime podcast on the map. She sets her sights on River Stone, the hearthrob musician who rose to stardom after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. Rafi lands herself a ticket to the exclusive Fly Fest, where River will be the headliner. But when Rafi arrives on the Caribbean island location of Fly Fest with hundreds of other influencers and (very minor) celebrities, they quickly discover that the dream trip is more of a nightmare. And it's not just confronting beauty gurus-gone-wild and spotty WiFi. Soon, Rafi goes from fighting for an interview to fighting for her life. And, as she gets closer to River, she discovers that he might be hiding even darker secrets than she suspected . . .

Originally published in the 1930s, this is a wonderfully detailed guide to marionettes, puppetry and the construction and production of a show. It contains over a hundred diagrams and illustrations detailing all the various designs for puppets and instructions for their construction. All the secrets of the trade are laid in in simple language and instructions, along with clear and detailed diagrams. This is an exhaustive manual for anyone interested in puppetry. Contents Include: By Way of Introduction - Puppetry In Foreign Countries - The Stage - Scenery and Properties - Lighting - Marionettes in the Making - Marionettes Continued - Controls and Strings - Trick Dolls - The Marionette in Action - The Glove Puppet - Productions - Bibliography - Materials and Where To Obtain Them - Marionettes In London Museums Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

It was during the Victorian era that the circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes. In The Circus and Victorian Society, Brenda Assael examines this interest in the circus as an artistic form within the context of a vibrant, and sometimes not so respectable, consumer market. In doing so, she provides not only the first scholarly history of the Victorian circus but also a new view of nineteenth-century popular culture, which has usually been seen as the preserve only of the working class.

The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. In addition to their wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and sometimes subversive humor, however, Assael reveals how such acts were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.

The consuming public's desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position. Wishing to create a respectable reputation for itself while also functioning as a profitable business, the industry was engaged in a struggle that required the appeasement of both the regulator and the consumer. This conflict informs us not only of the complicated role that the circus played in Victorian society but also provides a unique view into a collective psyche fraught by contradiction and anxiety.