Gimmicks and Humor

I feel sure I'll be asked about the weather when I get back home. The answer is Yes! It was cold, it was windy, it was sunny, it was very warm, but no rain as yet, altho we do take a ride on the Branson Belle for supper (of course) and a show this evening. Yesterday I ended up carrying my wool cape, it was really a nice warm fall day.

As we drive around, we see marquee ads for all sorts of shows and we have learned that you can't tell a great deal about the show from its ad, but we continue to see one for THE TWELVE IRISH TENORS. I mention this one because we have some folks in Bwd who highly prize this sort of music and the more tenors the better. They'd love this show, I am sure. As far as I am concerned, that is about 10 tenors too many. Personal preference.

That brings me to the show we saw/ experienced last evening. Wonder why I'd never heard of Jim Stafford before? He was a guest star on many t.v. shows, we saw the clips. Before I go any further, the show was WONDERFUL. Not quite sure how to describe it for you. There was a ballet from the Nutcracker, extremely well done, and a gypsy dance while the star of the show played the accompanying music. We had comedy country music and very serious country, Jerry Lee Lewis style rock n' roll (by the star's 15 yr old son), patriotic music and Christmas music with a prayer at the end. Very eclectic musical offerings and HUMOR. I hesitate to say comedy- I guess there's not much difference, but this humor was wry, dry and self effacing. N laughed so hard, I thought he might hurt himself. The star threw "cow patties" into the audience ( Frisbee shaped damp sponges)- not very sophisticated, but it went w/ the song he had just sung Cow Patty- about a girl gunslinger. And there were such unusual "special effects" that I hesitate to mention because I certainly can't explain them. At one point, he sat on the edge of the stage playing a lovely old piece on the harmonica and he mentioned that anyone wanting to come down, this would be a perfect time for a photo opportunity. Someone did (probably a cast member from backstage) and just as he got his camera aimed at Jim Stafford, the star swooshed across the front of the stage to the other side. Not sure how it was accomplished, but it was startling. As I write this, the show really sounds strange, and it was-- in a very entertaining way. If you ever get the chance to see the Jim Stafford show take it, I don't think you'll be disappointed. And I'm still wondering where I've been that I never heard of him before.

I suppose all successful restaurants in Branson must have a gimmick. (like the flying rolls, or the dinner show) McFarland's gimmick at first glance was shops. Not little booths but good sized stores and an I Max movie theatre. Should I say it was a shopping complex w/ a restaurant tucked in the back? There was a large jewelry counter, several "gift" shops w/ tourist souvenirs, clothing stores, a leather shop, a kiosk selling the usual mall-type kids' toys being demonstrated by a talented young man who continued to operate a toy helicopter by throwing it up and having it come back to him. You would think this was enough gimmick for any place, if you had the time to check out the stores. (Which we did) We were seated at tables and booths on one side of the really large dining room. We ordered from the 4 choices available to us.. I mentioned the tables and booths because we had one long table and one round table and several booths. The folks at the round table all of a sudden started mentioning that their chairs weren't tall enough. They finally figured out that the staff were "messing with them"--- the table had a hydraulic lift and was going up and up til the diners chins were at table level. One of the wait staff told them that they had to sing and it would go down. They did and it finally went down to "normal" level. About the time our food was delivered another table across the way (different group) started rising. Every place needs a gimmick, I guess. Oh the folks at the round table got a certificate from the "high table" society.

I've told this in backward order, but that's okay, it is the way I remembered it.

I have some other stories that I'll save for another day. We're off to another show this morning--never heard of this person, either, so it'll be a surprise. Then we go shopping at a "Country Market" and the highlight of the trip comes early this evening with the Branson Belle. The folks we have talked to (who have more experience w Branson ) have all said this is the best show here, so.... we'll see..
We start home tomorrow.