When a character is running from a pursuing character and needs a place to duck and hide, expanding shelters offer a much bigger gag opportunity. They offers a scene within a scene, a gag within a gag.

For instance, let’s say your main character is being pursued through a barnyard, the script calls for a scene within the chase scene where a third character enters and has a comedic discourse that takes place while the original scene is supposedly still running.

If your character ducks into an absurd temporary shelter that is the size of a barrel on the outside but like a hut the inside, these two characters can safely dialogue and pursue physical gags while the pursuer is still coming. a normal barrel wouldn’t allow for this.

Ducking into a barn isn’t safe becase the pursuer would think to look in the barn, it’s loft and tack room

A normal barrel would be too cramped; however, an Expanding Barrel, which only expands in internal dimensions whereas it maintains its original external dimension complete with optional soundproofing gives the space and necessary, all while adding another gag–an expanding barrel.