It Pays to Advertise.
As each guest comes in the door he is given a slip of paper on which is written a number. When all the guests have arrived the leader asks all “tens” to congregate at the piano, while “threes” get together in one corner, “fives” in another, etc., etc. As the different groups assemble the leader goes rapidly from one group to another, and reading from her list, assigns each group some advertisement which they are to dramatize. A few impromptu properties such as a shrunken sweater, candles, newspapers, and crackers, are available.
After the four or five minutes allowed for preparation, each group in turn dramatizes the advertisement assigned it, and must continue action until the audience guesses correctly what advertisement is being represented. To avoid the situation which often develops when such a contest is on, an announcement is made to the effect that there is to be no guessing until the actors have completed their stunt. Then if there is no correct guess, the dramatization must begin again and continue until it is made so realistic that the audience guesses what it is in self-defense, or else gives up in dismay!
The following suggestions may be helpful:
1. Ivory Soap. “It Floats.” Members of the group go flitting about the stage as though they were walking on air, waving their arms and in general acting in ethereal fashion.
2. Eversharp. Riddles which have been prepared beforehand are put to a class by the teacher. The class having been thoroughly drilled in the answers, respond with a snap and a brilliancy that amazes the audience!
3. Uneeda Biscuit. Let them pantomime exhaustion, plainly showing by their actions that they are starved. A doctor rushes in, makes them stick out their tongues, (which they do with artistic effect), sing up the scale, blow up their cheeks, holding them that way indefinitely, close one eye, etc. In short, he carefully diagnoses the case, after which he swells up with pride at having found what the trouble was. He dashes to his bag, takes out a box of crackers, and makes each patient eat one, whereupon they all hop around, exhibiting marvelous life and enthusiasm, apparently cured for life.
4. Blue Jay Corn Plaster. The men of the group take the part of the blue jays, blue because of aching corns which they indicate by a mournful expression and painful hobbling around. The “jay” element is taken care of by tousled hair and disheveled clothing. They give evidence of considerable pain, which evidence grows louder and louder until the women of the group come dashing in as nurses, with handkerchiefs or pieces of white cloth bound about their heads. They inquire in pantomime about the cause of such evident trouble and having learned it, bind up the entire foot of the patient, thereby making life again worth living for the “Blue Jays.”
5. Whistle. It speaks for itself.
6. Bon Ami. The men come running in with smudges on their faces, followed in great haste by the ladies, who are very evidently trying to catch them. Finally they succeed and holding their victims firmly by the shoulders, with handkerchiefs as instruments of torture they pantomime a vigorous face-scrubbing, polishing the face as they would a window. When they have finished, they view the results with much satisfaction, while their victims pantomime the discomfort they undoubtedly feel.
7. Pears’ Soap. All the members of a group are “paired” off and either wander about in pairs or busily wash each others’ faces, always in pairs.
8. Colgate’s Toothpaste. “Lies flat on the brush.” A man appears, throws a hairbrush on the floor and lies down “flat upon it.”
9. Wool Soap. A large lady whose arms are sticking through the sleeves of a white sweater many sizes too small for her, looks tragically at the result of her not having used Wool Soap, while the rest of the group go into spasms of mirth at the picture she presents.
10. Fiske Tires. “Time to Retire.” All the members of this group file stumblingly across the stage, each one carrying a candle and yawning, and looking so irresistibly sleepy that everyone in the audience yawns just to look at them!
With some groups it will not be necessary to provide advertisements, and it will be sufficient to announce that each group is to think of its own and that a prize will be given to the most original stunt, but with the average group it is very helpful to have either a list of advertisements at hand, together with properties, or to be sure that in each group there is someone who can be depended upon to take the initiative for that group in putting on a really effective stunt. I speak from experience!