16 - Friday, September 2, 1988 - North Shore News

VENTRILOQUIST DON BRYAN
KEEPS ‘EM LAUGHING WITH

COLORFUL CAST

IN THE pointed observations

OF CHARACTERS

of a gent named Noseworthy,

Don Bryan talks to himse!f and plays with dolls.

Noseworthy should know, as the
foil to ventriloquist Bryan he is just
one in a collection of puppets that
make up the performer's comedy
repertoire.

The two could be father and
son, except that Noseworthy is
only a few feet tall. Both have
moustaches, thinning hair and a
furrowed brow; Bryan is 47,
Noseworthy a perpetual! 65.

STEPHEN
BARRINGTON

feature writer

“I'm not what you call a crazy
off-the-wall personality,” confesses
the man behind Noseworthy’s
quips and barbs. ‘You don’t in-
vite me to a party and expect me
to tear up the place.

“Vm kind of a low-key guy.”

A first paying performance in
Penticton in 1955 started Bryan's
ventriloquism career, but it was
not until 1981 that he took up his
comedy act full-time.

Joining Noseworthy as regular
partners on Bryan's round of bar,
lounge, convention, concert and
cruise performances are crotchety
Annie, vulture Bird Reynolds, and
Dennis the tennis ball.

Over his career, Bryan has
created and built about 30 charac-
ters, keeping only a few for
himself. Early versions were
hand-carved, but later ones are
usually crafted from molded
fibreglass.

From lengthy puppet-making
sessions years ago Came a pro-
totype drawing for a big-nosed
character. Shelved for a while, the
drawing was later dusted off and
revised into what is now one of
Bryan's best-known characters.

Bryan explains of the relation-
ship with the smart aleck
Noseworthy: “The character
within me is a Nosewarthy, but it’s
projected to this little (puppet). It’s
hard to say which came first.””

When he was 23, the North
Vancouverite met ventriloquism
great Edgar Bergen, who in his
work with puppet Charlie McCar-
thy counts as one of Bryan’s few
influences.

Bringing his puppet creations to
life, Bryan, following tradition,
plays the straight man to their an-
tics. Consumate performers, his

ee
4

partners know when to keep their §

anti-social sides under wraps.

Next to be added to the Bryan
repertoire of characters is a Miss
Piggy-like over-the-hill cheerleace:
and an alien tentatively named
Zook.

“| take people away in a fan-
tasy, bring these puppets to life,’”
he says of his craft. ‘‘There’s a
character there that is really ex-
pressive.”

Vancouver's Ridge Theatre will
play host to Bryan and his charac-
ters when they open for Saturday
Night Live comedian Dana Carvey
Sept. 11.

Noseworthy will arrive there, as
usual, in a suitcase. His only com-
plaint with the accommodations: it
is hard to keep the water in his
Jacuzzi.

The Quay to

African sights, sounds

ART AND music of Africa comes
to Lonsdale Quay for three days
this weekend.

Running Sept. 3, 4 an 5 at the
market, African Days features an
exhibit of contemporary and tradi-
tional sculpture, masks and
musical instruments,

“it will be pieces not normally
seen,” said organizer Morry Whit-
field. ‘So it’s kind of special that
people will be able to see them
here.”

Also on hand during the event
will be a drum group and gum-
hoot dancers, who perform South
African-born dances and = music
played by hitting their gumboots.

The art exhibit runs all three
days, while the music and dance
entertainment is slated for the
market's south plaza Sept. 5 from
T p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For more details, call Lonsdale
Quay Market at 985-2191,

VANCOUVER BACH CHILDREN’S CHORUS

Please call IMMEDIATELY for auditions

North Shore Training Choir

eye:

738-8593

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