Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 16:33:48 -0600 From: "Martin Holman" <jmartinholman-AT-gmail.com> To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Breakaway bunraku puppets? If your puppet is to become self-aware of his own construction (as opposed to having the puppet just come apart without a knowledge of why he is coming/falling apart) you might consider using standard Japanese Bunraku construction for the attachment of the limbs. That involves cords at the upper end of arms and legs that are tied (in a simple half-bow knot) onto cord loops that run through holes in the wooden parts of the torso. Your puppet might become interested in the loose end of the cord (which is easy to locate and reach on a normal Bunraku puppet) and, in pulling the loose end, untie the attachment just as if you were pulling a bowknot on a shoelace to untie your shoes. The possibility of this happening inadvertently is often on my mind during a traditional Bunraku performance with ordinary traditional puppets whose limbs are supposed to remain intact in the pieces we are performing. I've been luck so far, but it is bound to happen eventually that we will be scrambling to recover a piece of Bunraku puppet anatomy when an arm or leg comes untied and falls off on stage. Of course, you might use standard Bunraku construction even if the puppet isn't sure what is happening. (I guess my first paragraph includes thematic/artistic suggestion as well as technical.) FWIW Marty (a fellow Hoosier, from Corydon) __________________ Prof. J. Martin Holman Coordinator, Japanese Studies Program Director, Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe 443 General Classroom Building University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 Tel. (573) 882-3368 holmanma-AT-missouri.edu http://www.missouri.edu/~graswww/people/holman.html Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe: http://www.bunraku.org On 1/25/07, Klingelhoefer, Terri S <tklingel-AT-indiana.edu> wrote: > > Hi folks, > > > > I am kicking around a bunraku puppet that would literally pick itself > apart. Anyone who has done this or seen it I could use your advise. > Heck, even random guesses about construction would help. We will have 2 > operators for this part and I see the puppet seated in the course of the > action. The puppet has to walk around and interact prior to picking > itself apart. > > > > I figure in terms of esthetic s I can get it down to one arm and a > torso, if there is something to pull on then I can pull off the last arm > by grabbing an edge and pulling off the last hand and arm and letting > the torso fall. > > > > Thanks, > > Best wishes! > > Terri Klingelhoefer > > Primary Player > > Klingel-Engle Puppets > > 7251 West State Rd 46 > > Ellettsville IN 47429 > > tklingel-AT-indiana.edu > > 812-876-3540 land line > > 812-325-9326 cell > > > > _______________________________________________ > List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org > Admin interface: > http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org > Archives: http://www.driftline.org > _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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