looking to tap into the collective creativity of the Ren cloud here...
I was wondering if folks could share a shtick performed at ren faire that they enjoyed. By "shtick" i mean the impromptu story, act or hook that performers (employed or even patrons) use to interact with other people at faire.
Some of the better ones I have seen:
- Lady selling rats
- Rag lady asking people if they have seen her pig
- Man with a heavy 5 o'clock shadow dressed as a woman in full petticoats and a powdered face instructing people in the manners of a lady.
- The Fellowship Foundry used to have a guy handing out of the window above the shop heckling people in the Monty Python "Holy Grail" french style.
Obviously the real humor and enjoyment comes from the ability of the performer to sell what they are doing and to improvise well with the people they are interacting with.
Thanks for your thoughts!
are you looking for castmember schtick or are you also interested in the things playtrons do?
I'm sure you'll find many playtrons also perform in the lanes.
Quote from: Count Adolfo on July 15, 2008, 02:19:48 PM
are you looking for castmember schtick or are you also interested in the things playtrons do?
I'm sure you'll find many playtrons also perform in the lanes.
Both really. Anything that made you stop, laugh, and say "man, that was really clever"
As a playtron who was in a group with a visibly pregnant woman, we hung a sign around her neck advertising "slightly used virgin for sale"
That kinda stuff.
i loved the guy my second year at Garf who was near one of the glass shops and he talked to everyone my friend took his picture and he stayed in charater the whole time we had a great time talking to him he even asked if i was queen Maub because i was dressed in blue.
I loved the schtick the faeries had this season at Scarborough. There was a small group of them that were in "flight school for the aerodynamically challenged" (I'm sure someone will correct me if that is the wrong name).. anyway, they were all wearing antique style flight goggles. 'Twas really quite cute.
Oh, and who can forget "NOOBLER The Tinker Gnome" his singing his name schtick and then putting the patron on the spot to get them to sing their names is a HOOT.
Quote from: PurpleDragon on July 15, 2008, 02:38:33 PM
\ they were all wearing antique style flight goggles. 'Twas really quite cute.
I can totally picture it. That sounds brilliant.
I always liked Scratch the Beggar's head banging routine (and I always tipped him pretty well).
Also, Merilee Effingham, the Scarborough Courtesan, has her schtick down to an art.
Quote from: jfdonohoe on July 15, 2008, 02:41:17 PM
Quote from: PurpleDragon on July 15, 2008, 02:38:33 PM
\ they were all wearing antique style flight goggles. 'Twas really quite cute.
I can totally picture it. That sounds brilliant.
There are photos in the "fae realm" section of this board.. You should take a peek.
Just a couple weekends ago at CoRF the Bag Pipe band started playing the Star Wars Theme. One of the court jesters yelled out "OH THOSE PERFIDIUS SCOTS"
Toki and I still get a huge laugh about that
Then there was the Lepracaun who started in about Robert the Bruce not really being Scottish but French.
Lastly was the guy not far from the front gate who was holding turkey legs as his arms (hands hidden in his shirt) and ripping on nobles and how he lost his hands to a cannon explosion.
The Jester was bar far the funniest
I missed this, but last year at TRF, Milord saw the pirates steal Bo Peep's sheep and string it up in a tree. She dashed after it and climbed the tree to rescue her hapless charge with dagger clenched in her teeth. He says everybody was in tears from laughing so hard.
For me, it's seeing Scratch dig a gnawed turkey leg from a trash bin and fashion it into a leg stump in front of the sea Devil. Grisly/funny!
Inspired wisecracks from performers and shopkeepers- gawd but I love rapid-fire rennie wit.
And the fae buiding Twinkiehenge- priceless!
One of the most memorable things we have seen at faire was a particular pickle vendor at KCRF last year. He would randomly yell at the top of his lungs "Buy my Pickle!!!!" I don't know why that struck us as funny, but I spent about $10 on pickles over the course of the weekend because of it. And, we now wear a fake pickle on our belts in honor of him. (Well, Bob wears it in honor of the gorgeous pickle girl from about 4 years back)
I saw that Bo Peep sheep rescue last year! Darned pirates! Bo was wonderful and twas funny!
We glimpsed Gollum at TRF. Fantastic!
Another Wizard and I were trying out various cat dialects. I speak fluent Siamese- and a bit of alley cat and he was doing Persian- meows of course.
Having just seen them again at the SCRF, I have to say my all time favorites for such creative gags and lines are the Ye Nottingham Players. Their responce to every "Huzzah" being a "gezundheidt!!", and such tag lines, just crack me up. Very whimsical nuts but believable. The audience adopts these lines the rest of the day. Amazing street bits and songs. If I had to choose two characters I'd say Willoby the Chicken Thief singing/hawking his dead fowl, and River O'riley the washing lady chewing on a bar of soap as she walks about- spewing forth a gazillion bubbles. But all of them are equally as funny.
Kick the Cabbage and chasing/looking for the Whatsit are always fun ones.
I remember the Bo Peep sheep heist by the pirates last year.. took place right outside my booth. That was funny.
Then there was the day when Prince James and I along with one of the Italians decided to play "Extreme Bocci", HUGE mud puddles in the court and we are shotputting the balls trying to make a big splash.. then I found a twig (no, not the fairy, but an actual twig) about 116 inches long and handed it to Prince James for our "Caber Toss" He made his toss last like four minutes and it was nothing more than a twig... the audience was just rolling with laughter... (((GODS I LOVE IMPROVING WITH THE CAST AT TIMES))).
OK, at BARF we have our own Colonel Pangolin playing havoc with the puns as the Gravedigger Doug Canbury. He used a rope to measure me this season for a coffin... had me stand on the end and then declared me to be 8 feet tall.
My son, who didn't understand WHY he was measuring me, still thought it was hilarious.
As a playtron, I do several things at Faire... from the typical Rogues Guild wooings and roguings to the absolutely hilarious (to us, at least) Four Horsemen stage show at TN during RenDezvous.
I love (obviously) doing the wooing contests at BARF with the other Rogues... they're always a lot of fun... but I think this past season my favourite "schtick" I got to do was on Italian Carnevale weekend.
I still have no idea HOW she knew to ask me, but it was students' day and the place was full of kids... and this one girl came over and asked me to sing Happy Birthday to her friend. Now, the reason it's surprising that she knew to ask me is that, it being Italian weekend, I sang it to her in Italian. How she knew I speak Italian is beyond me.
The birthday girl, who was turning 14, was blushing as crimson as my doublet and her friends were all having a great deal of fun with the situation.
These are all excellent stories. My group and I are trying to brainstorm ideas to have our own simple shtick this year. We want to add a bit more life into our interactions with others. This is all really helpful.
Quote from: jfdonohoe on July 16, 2008, 12:34:48 PM
These are all excellent stories. My group and I are trying to brainstorm ideas to have our own simple shtick this year. We want to add a bit more life into our interactions with others. This is all really helpful.
On that note, I honestly find that improv is quite successful. While it does not work in ALL arenas, there are cases where it can prove indispensable.
HOWEVER, if you are seeking something for a group, you might consider what type of group you are and find something that allows you to focus on each others strengths when it comes to abilities. IF you are a bunch of Scots, maybe do something that alludes to the EVER popular myth about Scots and sheep (obviously keeping it relatively PG but have the double en tendres' tossed in throughout). IF you are Pirates, maybe carry a barrel with you, or each member carry a differant part of a ship (Mast, Rudder, Wheel, Keel, mini cannons), and you all walk in formation (I've been wanting to try this one myself). The thing is you have to find what is going to suit your persona best.
There is always talking to paytron about thier "strange" clothing and gagets. On the other side, I find this gag old and tired myself, but perhaps first time customers find it funny.
Well I hope to buy a small treasure chest and put a rubber buttocks in it with some gold coins and necklaces and gems.
When I attend pirate weekend as a playtron if any cast or acts or playtrons who play pirates ask to see my booty I will open it up and show them!
I just coined a new word "Huzzarrr!", which is what pirates say when they cheer.
Regards,
CB
Quote from: Cobaltblu on July 16, 2008, 01:01:48 PM
Well I hope to buy a small treasure chest and put a rubber buttocks in it with some gold coins and necklaces and gems.
When I attend pirate weekend as a playtron if any cast or acts or playtrons who play pirates ask to see my booty I will open it up and show them!
I just coined a new word "Huzzarrr!", which is what pirates say when they cheer.
Regards,
CB
lol*snort*lol!
I have been part of a few as cast at MDRF but one we did last year which has been the most fun so far was the Jack Sparrow hunt. Some of us court ladies would go off into the village seeking Jack Sparrows. Once one was spotted,we would entice him with gold coin until he was surrounded and then we would tag them while conducting a brief interview and release them back into the wild. (one of the ladies got a pack of small sales tags). Ou purpose was to conduct a study as they seem to multiply. The biggest question was how as they all seemed to be males ;)
Quote from: Lady_Glorianna on July 16, 2008, 02:21:53 PM
I have been part of a few as cast at MDRF but one we did last year which has been the most fun so far was the Jack Sparrow hunt. Some of us court ladies would go off into the village seeking Jack Sparrows. Once one was spotted,we would entice him with gold coin until he was surrounded and then we would tag them while conducting a brief interview and release them back into the wild. (one of the ladies got a pack of small sales tags). Ou purpose was to conduct a study as they seem to multiply. The biggest question was how as they all seemed to be males ;)
Oh this is great! I will have to do this at faire this weekend.
Quote from: Lady_Glorianna on July 16, 2008, 02:21:53 PM
I have been part of a few as cast at MDRF but one we did last year which has been the most fun so far was the Jack Sparrow hunt. Some of us court ladies would go off into the village seeking Jack Sparrows. Once one was spotted,we would entice him with gold coin until he was surrounded and then we would tag them while conducting a brief interview and release them back into the wild. (one of the ladies got a pack of small sales tags). Ou purpose was to conduct a study as they seem to multiply. The biggest question was how as they all seemed to be males ;)
~gigglesnorts~ OMG, that is almost identical to a plot a dear Scot Friend of mine (William Campbell [character name]) and I along with some others, were going to do with the Fae. We were going to have special tags (leather bracelets with brass numbered tags) for them and we would log such things as wingspan, height, pitch of sounds when "speaking", etc.. All of which was to be presented to the Queen of the SPCF (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Faeries) so she could keep track of her subjects year after year.
I'm on cast at MIRF and I've just spent three days translating, Annie's Song and The Rose into Italian. It might go one of three ways. 1. Everyone thinks I'm nutes (true), 2. They have no idea what it is and then it dawns on them and it's funny. 3. Someone finds it romantic.
Of course I'm thinking of singing it on bended knee to various menfolk, after bringing their wives into the gag.
Don't be afraid to sucketh.
Oh and I've developed something involving kilts and three lengths of blue ribbon, but that one is gonna have to be done in person.
Anatomically correct cabbage patch doll in kilt and blue ribbon.
Cabbage patch child in chainmail and leather diaper, when asked if he was a knight, I responded "Nay, he is not a knight, nor a squire, not even a page" He is a paragraph"
Quote from: Valiss on July 16, 2008, 12:59:32 PM
There is always talking to paytron about thier "strange" clothing and gagets. On the other side, I find this gag old and tired myself, but perhaps first time customers find it funny.
I agree. For this to be at all humourous, you must use it as an intro to something else, at this point.
One cold morning at MNRF last year a bunch of us started an imaginary fire (using whatever small twigs and wood bits we could find at hand). We stood about "warming" our hands and buns. We even sang a few campfire songs. We invited others to join us in warming up. Good fun.
There are so many, and all so much fun.
I had one gentleman offer me a chicken and two pigs in exchange for my wife, until he found out that she had all her own teeth, then he threw in a pig. Told told him that he had me at the chicken, but then had to pay for it by buying my wife some jewellery a few minutes later. "It will increase my value so you can get more than a chickern for me."
I had a beggar follow me for a bit after buying a turkey leg, and when I was about done and ready to throw the remainents away, another approached and asked if he could have it, that he was so hungry. I gave it to him, which promply started a fight between the two, which carried on to the two of them rolling through the mud, each holding onto what was left of the turkey leg for dear life with both hands. I had to buy them a pint, it was ridicules
A couple of years ago, my friend Billy and I were wandering around ORF, very early morning, after a very rainy week. As we stood in one spot, looking for...well...I'm not entirely sure exactly what we were looking for, but we were looking around, nonetheless, a cast member stepped into the mud one one side of us and giggled madly. "SQUISHY!" he exclaimed. Without missing a beat, Billy says "NO! There's monsters in the squishy!" Said cast member went wild-eyed and jumped out of the mud. Playing along, I said "Yes, Billy. Monsters in the squishy. You know they steal cheese, yes?" At this, the cast member became a little more crazed. "Monsters in the squishy steal the cheese? ...What kind of cheese?" "Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that. But mostly the Gouda." "OH NO NOT THE GOUDA!" "Yes," replied Billy. "They loves them some Gouda." At this, the cast member flings himself into the mud, desperately trying to get to the monsters that have stolen all the cheese, and another cast member wanders up. "Say, wha's he doin'?" "Looking for the cheese stealing monsters." "Cheese...you mean like this?" And at that, she held up the sleeve of her chemise which was, well, a similar colour to American cheese. "Yes! Cheese like that!" So, this brings the attention of the first cast member. "YOU HAVE THE CHEESE!" And at that, covered in mud, he leaped up and went chasing after the second cast member. It was a pretty interesting exchange.
Later that same day, we went running as we saw a few of our friends, then got distracted by an impromptu game of tag with some random people. I'm not sure if they were cast or other playtrons, but it was fun. xD
I took a friend and his wife to the Faire their first time, lo, those many years ago. she was a shy, retiring type who did not go in for the Faire type of fun.
Mid-way thru the afternoon, I insisted she have something to eat, due to the heat. She finally chose a pickle, saying, "What harm is there in a pickle?"
After I paid for the pickle, the seller stepped back, and in his largest outdoor Faire voice announced, "PICKLE SACRIFICE NUMBER ONETHOUSANDFIVEHUNDREDANDSIXTYSEVEN!" and plunged the stick into the pickle with an ear-splitting scream worthy of an Opera-Diva-being-eaten-alive-by-rabid-weasels.
My friend's wife nearly died of shame and has never been to another Faire since! But she did say it was one fantastic tasting pickle.
The fairies are awesome at walking up to little kids and playing with them. Then Turning to a cast member and making faces at them (the cast member can't see fairies so the kids are cracking up at this. Finally the cast member grows tired of the kids laughing at him for no reason and tells them to "go and find their parents because they can't be bothered with their childish ways".)
One year the fairies kidnapped the Mayor and put him in a twig cage labeled "human zoo". The Mayor couldn't break out because of fairy magic so he pleaded with the kids to help get the Sheriff and get him out. All the kids swarmed the Sheriff yelling at the top of their lungs that the fairies kidnapped the Mayor and they had to get him out of the cage, but when they brought the Sheriff to the Mayor the Sheriff couldn't see him due to fairy magic and then proceded to grumble to adult ears how the Mayor likes his women and mead!
At the ORF, there was a lady who wandered around offering a "Roll in the Hay" to men. If you accepted, she would have you kneel in the street and loudly proclaim that you were going to have a roll in the hay, and that she was going to give it to you (with many a bawdy references thrown in). After which she gave you a bun wrapped in a few twigs of hay and an official document that you went to the faire and had said roll in the hay.
Watched a good friend of mine turn bright red as he got his roll in the hay in front of wife and daughter. Hilarious.
~laughing and thinking of young frankinstien~
Roll, Roll, Roll in the hay
A couple of things from Sterling:
Young ladies of the court "fishing" from a balcony, using small trinkets as bait. They all go bonkers when someone is "caught".
A looong time ago, someone would occasionally toss a small bucket of water from a second story window, yelling "Chamber pot!" and narrowly missing patrons below.
Had to vouch for one of the gentlemen one of the ladies caught while fishing for thieves. Didn't know him at all, but he said he'd buy me a pint. Hey wait, he still owes that drink....
Quote from: nliedel on July 16, 2008, 02:29:19 PM
I'm on cast at MIRF and I've just spent three days translating, Annie's Song and The Rose into Italian. It might go one of three ways. 1. Everyone thinks I'm nutes (true), 2. They have no idea what it is and then it dawns on them and it's funny. 3. Someone finds it romantic.
Of course I'm thinking of singing it on bended knee to various menfolk, after bringing their wives into the gag.
Don't be afraid to sucketh.
The Rose is a lovely song...and Annie's Song, is that the one by John Denver? If so, I'll have to try and make a point of coming to listen. :)
Quote from: robert of armstrong on July 28, 2008, 11:04:32 PM
Had to vouch for one of the gentlemen one of the ladies caught while fishing for thieves. Didn't know him at all, but he said he'd buy me a pint. Hey wait, he still owes that drink....
I had to promise the sheriff's daughter I'd meet her at her house at 8PM for my beheading. I didn't keep that promise either.
I don't know what station you are... but I will tell you about our bit. it's made for peasants (really low peasants at that). It's called the "ugly stick"
You need a group of people... On main person and a group of supporting people.
The first thing you do is pick a target. When picking a target make sure to pick someone how looks like they could be taken down a peg or two. (Don't pick on people who look unhappy or emo. that's just not nice). We would look for the typical guy wearing a Hollister shirt (you know the kind) that or a guy on a date.
The main person has a stick (the uglier the better) and will quite obviously "Sneak" up on the target.
The group of people mingle with the crowd... the main person taps the target with the stick.
Then the group (of frantic women works the best) runs up to the person and starts asking "Did an old man (or whoever) just hit you with a stick???? After they reply yes, everything kinda breaks lose. Everyone starts yelling "You've been hit with the UGLY STICK!!! YOUR growing UGLY! Your features are melting.." and so on... the best exit is to run away shielding your face and crying UGLY!
We got some awesome people! One of the best reactions is when the persons friends (or we even hat a girlfriend) who would play along with us.
But I must stress it again, it is never fun to pick on people who look like they might be depressed or anything like that. Always look for the cocky jocks or the like, they are the most fun.
anyway I hope that you can use it... or if not that you at least got a smile out of reading this.
At my shop at CORF we try to play with the patrons as often as we can.
One of the shticks that I did this year was that my garlands will help keep one pure and would protect the impressionable young maidens, like my self I was protected from the unwanted advances from the pirates and other rougish men that were about. Then one of my workers always piped up with " Well what about that chap last night.." It was always lots of fun
Then there was the seeing a patron on their cell phone, herdind all the people nearest to them away squwaking about the very contagous plauge that they could catch.
Cell phones! Ha ha ha! There's a guy at our faire who when he sees someone one their phone, walks up as close as he can then screams into the phone (while the person is still on it mind you) "HE CAN'T TALK RIGHT NOW! HE'S AT THE FAIRE!"
I love to do that! its soo much fun!
especially in my most annoying pissed off fish wife voice think Mrs.Weasly..
oh i cant wait for next season!