File puptcrit/puptcrit.0806, message 99


Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:41:01 -0300
From: "Deborah Hunt" <maskhunt-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Puppets seen as art or not?


 From Puerto Rico.  To celebrate World Puppetry Day in March, we mounted
"Titeretada", which included a month long exhibit of over 200 puppets in the
Museo de las Americas in Old San Juan. Such an exhibit had never been
mounted before and it created enormous interest. On opening night over 400
people turned up. The exhibit included glove puppets, mouth puppets,
shadows, humanettes, marionettes, crankies, body puppets, tabletop puppets
and giant puppets. The entire casts of Ubu Rey and Punch were exhibited (in
the their fitups), along with the works of a diverse number of local
puppeteers. The common observation was that people had not thought about how
many different kinds of puppets there were and also were surprised that
within the explanations of the pieces it was obvious that much work had been
created for adult audiences. School groups came through and thoroughly
enjoyed themselves. Many had not seen a puppet in the flesh before. Around
the 23rd of March Titeretada contined with nightly cabaret performances and
a matinee for children. There really isn't too much here presented for
children and it was great to hear them call for more after the show.
We create work in progress nights where the program is shared by four
puppeteers. The current theme is "food"; observations on the current world
food crisis. We also are into our second version of "Sobre la mesa", a
miniature puppet/object series featuring the work of eleven puppeteers. Our
small theatre space is divided into 11 cubicles with cloth curtains and the
audience (in groups of six) rotates from cubicle to cubicle. The puppeteers
present their 5 minute works 11 times. When we did this the first time we
announced that seating was very limited, that we could only have 66 people
(each of the cubicles could fit only 6 people). It was sold out within a
week and we had to create a waiting list. The venue for this (Teatro Estudio
Yerbabruja) is in a working class neighbourhood that becomes totally
deserted at night. There is no parking, the streets are dimly lit and still
people turn up. We have discovered that there is an extraordinary interest
in puppetry. We cannot create new work fast enough. And all this work is
unsubsidized. New people turn up continously and although these events are
not specifically for children, family groups are also appearing. We maintain
our performances in this venue and on the street because so many other
places require such an extraordinary amount of paper work that it becomes
absurd. We are now making efforts to form a guild.
saludos
Deborah
Maskhunt motions



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-- 
Deborah Hunt
MASKHUNT
www.myspace.com/maskhunt
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