Famous Puppet Death Scenes
Short philosophical tales, stories that are silly and amusing or that touch the collective imagination, comical playlets, funny, satirical fables in verse and stirring, moralist comedies are all part of Famous Puppet Death Scenes. These gems are taken from the repertoire of puppetry and all deal with death, with death viewed as either desperate or invigorating. Scenes are presented as dumb shows or are tied together by narration, with the puppeteers sometimes hidden and at other times in full view.
With a puppet as master of ceremonies, the miniature puppet theatre gives rise to multiple possibilities and is transformed into the theatre of our fleeting human condition, a touching portrayal of our poor mortal selves. The work of this Alberta theatre company has drawn inspiration from the traditions of many cultures, creating an anthology of naive and sophisticated pieces that can be poetical or lyrical, of solemn beauty or unbridled fantasy. All styles are evoked, from Jewish humour and metaphor to philosophical tales entwined with enigmatic fables. Never lugubrious or bleak, all the scenes have as their theme death, or rather life. After all, life is a fatal disease and we’re hanging on by a thread! !
CREATED AND CONCEIVED BY
THE OLD TROUT PUPPET WORKSHOP & FRIENDS :
PETER BALKWILL
DON BRINSMEAD
MITCHELL CRAIB
PITYU KENDERES
BOBBY HALL
JUDD PALMER
STEPHEN PEARCE
AND
TIM SUTHERLAND
DIRECTED BY
TIM SUTHERLAND
TECHNICAL DIRECTION
BOBBY HALL
COSTUME DESIGN
JEN GAREAU
SARAH MALIK
LIGHTING DESIGN & PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGEMENT
CIMMERON MEYER
SOUND DESIGN
MIKE RINALDI
PRODUCED BY
GRANT BURNS
WITH
PETER BALKWILL
MITCHELL CRAIB
PITYU KENDERES
JUDD PALMER
THIS SHOW WAS DEVELOPED AS A CREATIVE RESIDENCY WITH THE PUSH FESTIVAL IN 2006.
