Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:58:48 -0700 From: Steven Barr <lapuppet-AT-gmail.com> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Russian Puppetry For Robert R. and others I have several large Puppet books from France brimming with photos of Russian Puppeteer, Obrasov. From these photos I see his work was traditional but included very modern aspects as well. .. what I call Abstract or experimental puppetry, with puppeteers in full view, shapes as puppets, wordless... I also know his company was very large-- somewhere over 80 members in the heyday of the mid-80s I think, so they had many shows, for adults and for children. In the 50s and 60s there were the Cabaret shows with risque puppetry that also flourished in Paris (Yves Jolie) at that time-- some of this is pure experimental puppetry. I also work exclusively with Eugene Seregin who worked in that Moscow company for 20 years-- although with the fall of the USSR so went the big theatres. He made his way to Los Angeles in the early 90s because he found no work in Russia. But out of the frying pan and into the fire and Eugene has not had much work here-- although I will always call on him first for any project, and his work is marvelous. I call him a genius, in fact. I just can't keep him employed. You said 'in the time of the tzar" -- which Tzar? They probably had all kinds of puppets although the traditional marionnettes and handpuppets were most prevelant. And by the way, after seeing that charming clip on your website with the hand (glove) puppets with moving mouths... I remembered seeing a Russian group from Gorky (in 1985 in Roumanian festival) performing with large hand puppets with moving mouths. So your style would work perfectly for a russian tale. Good luck on the show and thanks for inspiring me to look into my old books and re see the gems I had forgotten were there. Steven Ritz-Barr Visiting Professor, Animation, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Owner, Classics in Miniature, Inc. <www.classicsinminiature.com> _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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