Barber Shop is a short vaudeville skit, aka. quick blackout. I first saw it on The Red Skelton Show episode, A Spy is a Peeping Tom on Salary. It goes like this:
Props:
- Something to represent a barber shop chair for the customer to sit it.
- Bib for the customer, so he doesn’t get hair all over his clothes
- Barber shop props for comedic havoc. For example, a shaving brush with a large bowl of shaving cream to “accidentally” knock on someone, etc.
Participants
At least 3 clowns are needed. One is the customer, one is the barber, and one is the person who rushes in with news. For a clown troupe, feel free to add additional characters. For example, additional customers in the shop, waiting their turn. Or perhaps, a manicurist, etc.
Barber Shop skit
The barber shop skit begins with Customer in the barber shop chair, about to have a shave. The customer is seated in the barber chair, with the bib, waiting. He possibly already has some lather on his face. The barber is standing to the side with the shaving brush, cream, etc. about to get to work. Suddenly, a man rushes in:
Stranger: Mr. Smith! It’s an emergency! Your house is on fire!
[The Customer bolts out of the chair, causing chaos. He may knock over the shaving cream, accidentally push the shaving brush into the barber’s mouth, tear off his bib and hit people with it, etc. As much slapstick as can be compressed into a few seconds]
Customer: Wait a minute! Why am I panicking? [he sits back down in the barber chair, waiting for his shave]
Stranger: Mr. Smith, didn’t you hear me? Your house is on fire!
Customer: My name’s not Smith!