From: Simon Palmer <simon-AT-illustrated-history.net> Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 21:21:00 +0000 To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Puppet versions of Strindberg's "A Dream Play"? Though not puppet productions, Robert Lepage and Robert Wilson's versions of A Dream Play may be of interest to puppeteers. There is a review of the Lepage production here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/strindbergs-dreamy- box-of-delights-1621299.html I'm sure Google will unearth more information. There is a useful essay "Beyond the Director=92s Images - Reviews and Views of Robert Lepage=92s Production of A Dream Play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre" by Willmar Sauter that discusses a number of critical (journalistic and academic) reviews and essays, and in the process approaches to production design, development and meaning. There's also a photograph of the performance: Sauter, Willmar, The Theatrical Event : Dynamics of Performance and Perception (Studies in Theatre History and Culture), University of Iowa Press, 2000 Here are some reviews and essays for/on Robert Wilson's production: http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html? html_title=&tols_title=DREAM%20PLAY%20(PLAY)&pdate=20001130&byline=By% 20BRUCE%20WEBER&id=1077011429806 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_6_37/ai_54050188/ http://web.archive.org/web/20050308232518/www.tnr.com/011501/ brustein011501.html To make (to risk making) a broad point, I'd have to say that puppeteers too often look to other puppeteers for inspiration. How come the pattern for a new puppet is invariably puppet-shaped? I love this on Strindberg's nervous breakdown from the Brustein piece above: "Among his many curious delusions was the conviction that he was being tortured by feminist witches. He was convinced they were pumping gases into his body by means of an infernal electrical machine through the walls of his hotel room." There is an abundance of clues to the materials and methods, aesthetics and ethics, stagings and strategies for a performance with puppets in this fragment alone (it refers to an episode pre-dating A Dream Play but could be seen as the ground of his later work). I can also recommend the chapters on Dream Plays in Strindberg's Dramaturgy, particularly "Theories and Practice in Staging a Dream Play" (Ingvar Holm), "Staging a Dream Play" (Egil Tornqvist) and "Directing a Dream Play: A Journey through the Waking Dream" (Susan Einhorn) and also the more general essay "Strindberg's Dream-Play Technique" (Richard Bark). A small amount of lateral thinking will be required, none of these essays mention puppets... Strindberg's Dramaturgy, Goran Stockenstr=F6m, editor, University of Minnesota Press, 1988 Hope that helps. Simon Simon Palmer Illustrated History +44 (0) 161 611 0739 +44 (0) 7944 804414 www.illustrated-history.net www.doodleblog.co.uk On 5 Jan 2010, at 22:02, Bell, John wrote: > Thanks to everyone who so far has responded to our query! Your > responses are greatly appreciated!! > > john bell > ________________________________________ > From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org [puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org] > On Behalf Of Simon Palmer [simon-AT-illustrated-history.net] > Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 2:23 PM > To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org > Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Puppet versions of Strindberg's "A Dream > Play"? > > Photographs from A Dream Play here: > > http://geoweb.civilisations.ca:8001/WebZ/GeacFETCH? > sessionid=01-45780-1138332923&recno=1&resultset=1&format=F&next=html/ > geacnffull.html&bad=error/ > badfetch.html&&entitytoprecno=1&entitycurrecno=1 > > and here: > > http://geoweb.civilisations.ca:8001/WebZ/GeacFETCH? > sessionid=01-45780-578242220&recno=1&resultset=1&format=F&next=html/ > geacnffull.html&bad=error/ > badfetch.html&&entitytoprecno=1&entitycurrecno=1 > > links to other photos here: > > http://theatre.civilisations.ca/narratives/details.php? > lvl2=4810&lvl3=4818&lvl4=5329&language=english > > There's another photograph of Woyzeck in one of the UNIMA > compendiums, the last one (I think) Die Welt des Puppenspiels? > > > > Simon Palmer > Illustrated History > +44 (0) 161 611 0739 > +44 (0) 7944 804414 > www.illustrated-history.net > www.doodleblog.co.uk > > > > > On 5 Jan 2010, at 18:27, Steve Abrams wrote: > >> Ronnie Burkett supplied this information- >> >> I found a wee bit of info on him in the Canadian Theatre >> Encyclopedia: >> >> http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Mirbt%2C%20Felix >> >> He was a huge force in his time, and I wonder if he ever gets the >> credit he >> is due in puppetry. He certainly paved the road for me in terms of >> working >> on legitimate stages for adult audiences. The 1970's were such a >> rich time >> of activity in Canadian theatre...oh, the glory days when the arts >> were >> actually funded! I never met Felix, but have friends who worked >> with him. >> By all accounts he was a passionate, difficult, interesting man, >> always >> innovative. >> >> If I can find any photos of the production I'll send them your way, >> or if I >> encounter someone who worked on the show I'll let you know. My >> best friend >> here (a puppeteer), as well as a neighbour (who is now a theatre >> director), >> both worked with Felix on a production of Woyzeck when they were >> young men. >> >> Cheers, >> Ronnie >> >> On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 1:11 PM, Bell, John <john.bell-AT-uconn.edu> >> wrote: >> >>> Hi, >>> My graduate assistant here at UConn, Joe Therrien, is interested in >>> mounting a puppet production of Strindberg's "A Dream Play", and >>> wonders if >>> there have been other puppet productions of this drama. Does >>> anyone on the >>> list have any advice about this? Thanks for your attention! >>> >>> Yours, >>> >>> John Bell >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org >>> Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit >>> Archives: http://www.driftline.org >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org >> Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit >> Archives: http://www.driftline.org > > _______________________________________________ > List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org > Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit > Archives: http://www.driftline.org > _______________________________________________ > List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org > Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit > Archives: http://www.driftline.org _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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