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Mark - I like that routine

As for Quentin's style on the dvd - I guess it's just not my style of doing things - and I can't really do an Irish accent.

What kind of puppet is it Fontaine? Is it human or animal? Also have you thought about your relationship to it? Are you friends? Is it a pet? Are you related? Are you it's boss or (more unusually) is it yours?

Nice ideas guys by the way, I wonder what makes vent dolls fart? Woodworm?

fontaine wrote::lol: I've been learning ventriloquism for 6 months. I really need advice about entertaining at children's parties. I've a way to go before I'll be ready, but am gatering all the information in preparation for performing.
Are there any children's party entertainers out there who have any advice.

The age group I'm looking at is 3 - 6 year olds. Please help. Whenever I try to think of something I get writers block.

Hi Fontaine,
I think you need to decide how long you intend to perform for. Some performers run whole parties and are there for a couple of hours. Others for just a short time. Often length of time will determine your fee but quality will always count.
Can you tell us who your target market are. Why have you decided 3 - 6 year olds. 3 year olds often have quite a short attention span.
The advice about Open Sesame is sound. I haven't seen it but believe that Terry Herbert's DVD is also good value. I have known Terry for a long time and he is a great children's entertainer so I am sure his DVD would be good.
If yu intend to just be a ventriloquist then perhaps you would need to consider another doll as well.
When you talk to the children don't be condescending they won't like you for it. Just be their friend.
Most of what Flash has said is good advice but not sure about his DVD recomendation in light of other comments.
Hope this helps

I am really impressed with the response to my query. I love the suggestion about the drooping flower, brilliant.
What about television shows? Asking the kids about them? Has anyone out there had a child ask them a question that completely stumped them.

Cheers
Fontaine

I have two dolls, a boy, and a girl. The boy is mischievous and naughty and can be bossy. The girl is very nice (naturally). They both have very different personalities.

I have shown them to various children, who take to one or the other. I was hoping to perform for about an hour, because of the attention span thing.

You asked me why ages 3 - 6, because children over that age find puppets talking a little bit cool, but they've very often got other things on their minds.

Maybe people may disagree, I would like to hear what other people think about it.

Cheers
Fontaine

I do a vent routine at most of my kids parties. I find that it's often the adults that rave about it and laugh just as much as the children. It's got nothing to do with me, really - the puppet is just really funny and you just have to laugh at his character.
I did a show for a group of 8 yr olds on saturday and right at the beginning of the routine one of the kids said "You're talking!". I smiled and said "I know" and carried on (the last couple of shows were in front of a mic - so I guess I got lazy hiding behind the mic).
Before long she was caught up in the whole thing and shouting at the puppet and laughing (along with the adults). That's the thing I guess - and it's where the real magic lies - to be able to suck them into the moment and get them so involved that it doesn't matter that puppets can't really talk

Hi

New the talk group here.

I love Terry Herberts stuff. Great DVD's!


Best,
Ken Scott

Hi Ken - welcome to the forum. Are you the same Ken Scott from making the birthday dough?

Why not post an introduction Ken?

Yes I am Ken scott with Making the birhday dough.

NOt sure where to put an intro. But I am from Atlanta GA. USA and i perform family entertainment. I also lecture and perform at conventions.

I still birthdays and perform libraries and school shows as well.

Enjoy reading your talks here.

Thanks
Ken

Cool - nice to have you on talkmagic.

If I'd known you were going to join the conversation I would've worded my 'review' of your dvd a bit better.
Ah well - we all have our preferences and I did pick up some useful things from the dvd. In fact for a while I had a sign that would keep on falling off the table/box I use. The idea came from your dvd - so thanks for that

Hi again Fontaine,

Sounds good, two contrasting characters that children can relate to. So what's your relationship to them? This might be related to your age, eg. if you're older it's easier to be an uncle or grandfather than a brother or school friend. Defining your relationship will help you to decide on your reaction to their actions (eg. your brother would probably react differently to your grandfather if you farted loudly)

The other thing I thought about and this probably goes without saying is don't forget that your doll can be a living entity throughout your entire show, eg. if you put the boy away in a box he can still pass comment on whats being talked about between the girl and yourself. Also remember this when handling the doll, don't just roughly drop it in the box, and if you do make sure the doll complains about it!

Hi there Ken.

You could be very useful to alot of people on here.(inlcuding me) You are obviosuly an experiecned childrens magician and entertainer.

Well Thanks. But I am a good teacher because I think I am a better student. I love to learn. I soak up alot of info and use it. So I think we can help each other out. What does not work for one may be great for another person.

Best,
Ken

Taneous should not be embarrased by his review of Ken's DVD. A magic dealer in Toronto told me the same thing and in fact said that he was surprised to see that the show was not as he expected. And he was selling the DVD's!

Still opinions differ and the only opinion that matters is mine. Ken will be delighted to hear that I cannot offer him my opinion on the matter since I haven't seen the actual product.

He seems to keep busy so perhaps that is all that matters. However a little attention to the ART of magic can be helpful to the BUSINESS of magic even though the two are separate matters entirely.

It reminds me of the old saying "Art for art's sake, money for Christ's sake"

If any goody two shoes here are horrified at my blaspheming I should point out that I am a holy man of the cloth myself so naturally it is quite acceptable.