Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:55:09 -0800
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
From: Bruce Chesse <bchesse-AT-imagina.com>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Humanette and Body Puppets


I remember the Peepets, a rather risque group of boys that had a club 
near Powell in the tenderloin in San Francisco in the 50's. It was a 
sort  of puppet Finnoccios. Alan Do you remember that group. It 
replaced a Grand Guinol group that was there for years in the 40's?

Bruce





>Dear Alan,
>I'm glad you spoke up for the humanette, I am in complete agreement with
>your description so that makes at least two of us.
>As for 'body puppet' there must be several varieties.  The type you
>describe with the performer inside is sometimes known as a 'habitable
>figure' possibly because that is where the performer 'lives'.
>In a version of Peter & Wolf we had, what was referred to in the 1970's,
>as a body puppet because each part of the puppet was operated by the
>same part as the operator (just as hand puppet is operated by the hand).
>In our case the figure was about 4 feet high and supported in front of
>the puppeteer by strings from its shoulders to a short strip of material
>worn on the neck of the operator.  The head attached by strings to a
>circular band worn around the head of the performer (rather like one of
>the Indian traditions). When the puppeteer inclined his head slightly
>the weight was taken on the shoulders (as with a string marionette)and
>likewise when the puppeteer turned his head sideways - so did the
>puppet.  Peter's hands had dowels running up the forearm and out at the
>elbows to be held in the operator's hands; the puppets feet were
>attached to the puppeteer's shoes.
>I also agree it would be very useful to agree on terms at least in our
>own language. Incidentally Roman Paska wrote a delicious essay on the
>subject called "New Lunar Taxanomies of the Puppet" published in
>'Present Trends in Research of the World of Puppetry' edited by Marek
>Waszkiel 1992.
>Best wishes
>Ray
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-lists.driftline.org
>[mailto:puptcrit-bounces-AT-lists.driftline.org] On Behalf Of Alan Cook
>Sent: 22 February 2007 19:56
>To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
>Subject: [Puptcrit] Humanette and Body Puppets
>
>A humanette puppet (like those with Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald's
>movie, set in old New Orleans, or illustrated in countless books for
>summer camp performers) is a body attached at the neck of the puppeteer
>whose own body is preferably covered with black cloth in front of a back
>curtain. The puppeteer's head is also the puppet's head. With short
>sticks or sometimes strings, the puppet feet and hands can be
>manipulated.Sometimes the puppeteer's hands can be used (good for
>grasping objects) instead of puppet hands, but the arm sleeve needs to
>be short in proportion to the short body. A drawback is that the figures
>cannot turn all the way around, but as performed well, does not need to
>do that anyway.
>
>A body puppet is worked from inside a large puppet (Big Bird for
>example).
>
>It helps to keep the definitions clear.
>
>Because there was a French presence in colonized Africa, all puppets are
>often referred to in books as "marionnettes" in reference to Afrcan rod
>puppets, whereas in English langage usage, the proper term IS rod
>puppet.
>
>Translators screw this up all the time.
>
>We have to remain vigilant so we are all speaking correct Puppetese and
>can understand one another. There is enough confusion in the world.
>
>ALAN COOK
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>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

_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org
Archives: http://www.driftline.org