If you're to recapture the hearts of the audience, you realize you must do something thoroughly unexpected. Fortunately, you've got a secret weapon to deploy.
You give a sharp whistle—and from under a table in the corner of the room, Brute comes loping over to you.
There are scattered shrieks of worry and surprise, but to your satisfaction you see virtually everyone in the room crane their necks or rise to standing to get a good look at the new simian arrival. "Welcome and well met, young Brute. What say you, gentles—woulds't like to see what Brute can do?"
A roar goes up from the crowd, and you take a deep breath. You hope that you and Brute are to deliver on what you've practiced.