File puptcrit/puptcrit.0706, message 159


Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:42:50 -0400
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
From: MIRJANA HEATH <miryana-AT-shaw.ca>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Pshycological word games


Caro,

I knew it was bad in Romania (I am from Serbia), but I had no idea it 
was that bad. Compared to that, Serbia was a dream land, we had it 
easy. Yes, political brainwashing was hard to bare (schools were 
infested with ideology to the max), religion was forbidden, all 
business was operated by the government (including such things like 
dry cleaning chains, or corner stores), but until 80ties we lived OK, 
modestly but never really deprived.

In 80ties the crisis hit, and then in 90ties the whole thing went 
down in flames (literary), and we know the rest, thanks to the 
generous coverage by CNN, who reserves the right to determine the 
truth.

But truth to be told, the culture was always subsidizes by the 
government. There was, and still is, a repertoire puppet theatre in 
Belgrade 
(<http://www.ptpinokio.com/about_us.htm>http://www.ptpinokio.com/about_us.htm) 
, with some 20 people at least in permanent employ, and they put 
shows on regularly. That is unheard of in Canada, where I live now. 
When I was a child, there were no puppetry companies in my home town 
or other smaller cities, but now, every town and a city has a puppet 
theatre, some subsidized, some not. Puppetry is in full blast over 
there, and it is at a high level too.

Bulgaria, another neighbour of Serbia, even has a program at the 
University of Sophia, dedicated to puppetry, and I know a wonderful 
puppeteer here in Vancouver area who actually received a masters 
degree in puppetry, and who performed all over Europe. She cannot 
believe how hard is to sell libraries, day cares and schools on 
paying for a puppet show. No one seems to see the value of puppetry 
(while my boyfriend, a magician, is making very nice living out of 
magic shows, and getting paid 4 times more per gig than I do!).

I guess we should thank all the librarians who, when I call them to 
offer a show, tell me that "they do their own puppet shows," for 
showing people what puppetry could be when done on a side. Once 
people see a show of a poor quality, that's what they think puppetry 
is. Not to mention that getting a grant for a puppet show seems to be 
a real venture. I was turned down just recently with an explanation 
that "a puppet show does not have same artistic merits as a 
composition or a paining". !!??
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