From: "Matthew Cohen" <M.Cohen-AT-tfts.arts.gla.ac.uk>
To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org
Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 22:23:29 +0100
Subject: [Puptcrit] re: indian marionettes


Jim Bowen writes:
>I do a program on the history of puppetry from around the world. I
just aquired some indian marionettes that i would like to add to the
program. Can anyone provide resources for learning more about this type of theater? The only thing=C2=A0I can imagine right now is Bollywood on strings!

Chances are these string puppets are kathputli, from the state of Rajasthan. There are a couple of good videos on this topic that should provide you with an introduction, and some clues about manipulation. See:

Kathputli: the art of Rajasthani puppeteers / a film by the Smithsonian Institution, Office of Folklife Programs and the Rupayan Sansthan. University Park : Pennsylvania State University, 1988.

Retooling a tradition: a Rajasthani puppet takes umbrage at his stringholders : a fictive documentary / by Nazir Jairazbhoy and Amy Catlin. Van Nuys, Calif. : Apsara Media for Intercultural Education, 1994.

Unfortunately, the written materials on kathputli are not very robust, although recently the anthropologist Jeff Snodgrass (Colorado State University) has published a few articles on bhat puppeteers that are quite interesting. 

There are also bits and pieces in some standard puppet books-- Bil Baird's The Art of the Puppet and the UCLA catalogue Asian Puppets: Wall of the World among them. 

Hope this is of help,
Matthew


Matthew Isaac Cohen, Ph.D.
Department of Theatre, Film & Television Studies
The University of Glasgow
9 University Avenue
Glasgow G12 8QQ United Kingdom
Telephone: +44-141-330 6286
Fax: +44-141-330 4142
Email: M.Cohen-AT-tfts.arts.gla.ac.uk

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