Recently on our trip to the South of France we were invited to take part in a 3 day outdoor international festival I watched as Mario and other performers who did not speak French – and had magic shows with a lot of verbal communication as opposed to illusion shows with music and mime – and I watched as they entertained their audiences.
Some performers, when faced with this situation, bring their speakers and their music and perform their show to music with minimal verbal input. I watched as Mario changed his show to suit his audience – he still interacted with them but he did his show with even more clowning, miming and strange noises! The audience laughed when he shot his flea out of the canon, clapped when he made the volunteer’s card appear from his mouth and the French man who wrapped him up in a straitjacket understood well enough Mario’s instructions to wrap him up tightly. The audience cheered and shouted loudly in appreciation at his escape and his magic and his comedy – so at the end of the day – the festival organisers were happy, the audiences were happy too and we were very happy too as it was a fantastic festival.
In between the magic shows I was making balloons and the way I worked it – I learned a few key French words of the animals and creations that I knew I would be making and at other times I made what sculpture that I felt like making and either both the children and adults happy as well. Veronica twisting balloons in France
We have found on our travels that by learning a few words of the language of the country we are visiting and using mime and clowning to demonstrate our skills we are welcomed and watched and enjoyed by the people. We love to travel and perform!
Veronica
