Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 11:37:09 -0500
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Sicilian puppets at the Met


One Correction. In my comparisons below, the Connecticut Sicilian 
troupe with it's own little theatre near the water that I saw all those 
years ago was in BRANFORD not "Hanford" - apparently my brain is still 
recovering from the sixties.

Fred Greenspan - Traditional Puppeteer
http://www.traditionalpuppetry.com

On Feb 18, 2006, at 11:14 PM, Fred Greenspan wrote:

> Went to see them today, they were great! The figures were beautifully
> made and manipulated. In contrast to the troupe I had seen in Hanford,
> CT more than a dozen years ago, this troupe had puppets that were all
> about the same height, maybe 28" while the ones  that I remember in
> Hanford were varying sizes depending on importance, with many larger
> and performing in a larger opening. Todays performance used a
> proscenium that was quite compact and the feather plumes on the knights
> helmets were partly blocked by the overhead cloth, so the puppets could
> not be any bigger. Today's performance had well choreographed sword
> fights with numerous trick puppet vicerations. There was no bashing of
> puppets together in todays performance as I remembered the Hanford
> troupe which had the marionettes swinging like pendulums into each
> other and much battered armor and shields. Todays puppets had pristine
> armor and shields in the same condition as well cared for serving
> platters. This is not a criticism of either troupe, just noting the
> differences in style which I found very interesting.
>
> Too bad the museum didn't put them up on risers. In the hardly raked
> auditorium with the marionettes performing on the stage floor most
> people could only see the upper half of the playing area. The audience
> members were constantly shifting and stretching there necks trying to
> get better views. When I walked out into the lobby after the show, the
> first thing I heard people talking about was the poor sight lines. But
> the performance was well worth it none the less. If you go tomorrow sit
> as close to the front as you can if at all possible. Just my opinion.
>
> Fred Greenspan - Traditional Puppeteer
> http://www.traditionalpuppetry.com
>
> On Feb 18, 2006, at 7:59 AM, corenste-AT-hunter.cuny.edu wrote:
>
>> Everyone,
>> Performances and lecture on Sicilian puppets today and tomorrow at the
>> Metropolitan Museum in New York. Performances at 1 and 3 and lecture
>> Sat only at 4:30. Free with Museum admission.
>>
>> Claudia
>>
>>
>>
>> Lecture
>> Weekend at the Met=97Antonello da Messina: Sicily's Renaissance Master
>> February 19, 2006; 4:00 p.m.; The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium
>> Free with Museum admission.
>>
>> Knights in Shining Armor/Damsels in Distress: An Exploration of the
>> Sicilian Puppet Theater
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>> For more information about events and programs at the Metropolitan
>> Museum, see the online calendar.
>>
>>
>>
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