© Jason Stang

Famous Puppet Death Scenes

TIM SUTHERLAND

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.

Details

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! !

Credits

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.