This space is mine !
In this video Miss Italia 2009, Maria Perrusi, learns how to use space in acting. We CrazyWaiters can also use it by moving around and making use of objects while doing our work, acts or improvisation.
It's funny to see at the end that Maria is using the whole space and sofa when she is calling to her mother instead of staying in one place.
The last sheet in English (with some comments taken from what is said)
- Be the master of the space in which you are (understand from where you're coming, where you are and where you go)
- Being the master enables you to express yourself at the very best
- For being the master you need to be at ease
- Start being the master of the objects. Start with taking the possession of them. (this sofa is mine!)
- Once you are used to the space you can do what you wanted to do
Expert Translation… or not?
This improvisation can also be done with real guests (or collegues), with real conversations. You "translate" what the other says by using you're fantasy, in a real language or not. A lot of variations is possible, also depending on your own knowledge of the languages and inspiration. You can add up fun with non-verbal signs and face-expressions!
I do it also with collegues who speak Arab or Hindi in our break. Nobody understands them (included me), but I'm so kind to 'translate' for my colleagues. Ofcourse you use similar sounds, so when somebedy says 'tingelingeling', you translate it as 'bell' or 'phone'.
Take care, not everybody likes to be fake-dubbed
That's why it might be safer to do it with colleagues (warned or not warned by you) in front of the guests.
Here somebody speaks 'Swedish' about a Volvo and the other has to "translate". It comes from Whose line is it anyway and the game is called expert translation.
This idea is also used in one of my favorite films 'La vita è bella'
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Imaginary friend
One of the things to make laugh your (little) guests is an imaginairy friend. It's a bit like the Phantom of the restaurant, but this friend is "talking" and "acting" and you have a conversation
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Viva i burattini! [IT]
Viva i burattini (Long live the puppets!) is a group of Italians who play for kids. I was on holiday in Milan last summer and I saw Flavio Collicelli in the parc, playing for the Italian kids. Fantastic to see the interaction between them and Flavio which was very lively. A great inspiration for this cameriere pazzo!
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Playing with accents
Today I was seater. I take the guest to the table and explain the buffet:"et voila, l'entrée, l'entrée, plat chaud, dessert". She:"attendez monsieur je vais le traduire pour les autres... l'entrée l'entréé plat chaud dessert". WTF!!!
Being a polyglot isn't easy, you have to fight against your accent because they don't understand you. French is a very sensitive language in this matter and the Frenchies in general aren't the most patient people (in contrary to Italians for example). But even in my motherlanguage I have a kind of accent ("You speak it perfectly, but where do you come from") so maybe it's me.
But as CrazyWaiter you can also play and improvse with it to amuse your guests. Amy Walker is doing 21 accents. After the jump she explains how to do it.
(via spanish-podcast.com)
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The phantom of the restaurant
No no!!! Don't touch that table! Underneath is the phantom, who will escape. He lets everything fall down. Don't you see the little broken glass on the floor? It's his work! No no! Don't look underneath the napkin! It's the spirit of a waiter who died from love hurt. His girlfriend, a beautiful Italian waitress fell in love with a chef and left. All the waiters will drop glasses if he'd escape from underneath!
Yesterday I had a lot of fun with a couple of curious kids who wanted to look underneath the napkin of a gueridon. And if you tell kids NOT to do something, yes you know, they'll try to do it. Of course inspirated by the Phantom of the Opera
(Photo "Spook" by Rob Boudon, used and adapted under CC 2.0)
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Voodoo doll!

If you work in a restaurant with a lot of kids with dolls or puppets, it's a great way to have fun. Imagine that you it's a voodoo doll so everything the kid does, acts on you. If he stabs with a knife, you pretend having pain. If he kisses, you stroke away the kiss. (or rubb it in). If he tickles, you laugh. First they don't see the interaction, but as soon as they see it, the fun and hilarity at the table is great! Greatly visualized in this ad of an Dutch insurance company!
(Foto by KhayaL - CC BY NC ND)
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An attitude makes the difference
Mark explains how to do the same in different ways and thus creating a character. Good knowledge to keep in a corner of the Crazy Waiters brain.
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Handpuppets… without puppets
Hans Teeuwen is a Dutch humorist. Although not my kind of humour, this video (in Dutch, sorry) is funny. And there is some cursing in it, so be warned!
In this video you can see how you can play with no (or little) attributes. I did it once (but I didn't scream and certainly didn't name world's oldest profession!) and everything was laughing.
Click here for more information and links about handpuppets
Yes and..
A very famous improv comedy game is 'Yes and...'. The first person gives a statement and the second adds something with 'Yes and..' Then it's the turn to the first person and so on. It will be clear by seeing this fragment with kids who plan a party.
To be honest, I don't know if I can really use it in the restaurant. Maybe when there's a lot of time and with very open kids. I might try it by starting myself saying 'Yes and..' when a child tells a story and maybe the kid will pick it up.

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