Puppetry: Ventriloquism & the Dummy.

We have here Mr. Dan Horn and his friend Orsen (1988)

These two gentlemen are exhibiting something that has more recently (right around three hundred years ago) as far as entertainment goes) been used for entertainment, the ventriloquist act.  In order for this to work we must have two main components one being the ventriloquist and the dummy.  Ventriloquism goes back many, many, many, years ago dating back to some 6th century B.C. (taken from http://www.essortment.com/history-ventriloquism-21204.html) the ventriloquist would speak the words of the dead which we're believed to be in the stomach.  So literally from Latin ventriloquist means belly speaker. This was used by prophets to create the illusion of having divine powers, needless to say this created quite the extravagant lie.  Now let us jump forward a few  years....and by a few I mean more like a few thousand....more accurately the 1700's.

I won't dwell to much on this particular era.  Ventriloquism in this time period was used as a form of entertainment on the street, this person was accompanied by a "dummy" for the person to manipulate into being "alive" and to "speak". This was done in the street or in busy areas like a market so that they could entertain and earn their supper for the day.

We fast forward yet again and I will direct your attention to the video posted at the top of the page.  We have here one of the greatest ventriloquists Dan Horn and his act with his partner Orsen. We have a prime example of how this has been turned from a religious charade to and thriving form of entertainment.  Now I would like for you to notice that the ventriloquist using many forms of puppetry we have 1. hand puppetry 2. rod puppetry (owing to the fact that he is using rods to manipulate the dummies arms) 

There is many many forms of puppetry however the ventriloquist act has gained immense popularity over the last 30 years with Jeff Dunham () who has really taken the "show" and brought to the popular and common eye.

Works Cited
Felner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, 2006. Print.
"History Of Ventriloquism." Essortment. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.essortment.com/history-ventriloquism-21204.html>.
"Ventriloquism History, "Read My Lips" - Kimn Swenson Gollnick." The Write Place by Kimn Swenson Gollnick. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.kimn.net/vent/history.htm>.