Date: Thu, 1 Aug 1996 08:42:35 +1000
From: jdalhsim-AT-netspace.net.au (Janet Dalgliesh)
Subject: Re: Character Development Survey


>What is your favorite well known puppet character?

I don't have one - I'm a mercenary who's always worked for other companies
in theatre plays or TV shows or film.  My favourite character ever was
probably an old odd sock in a play for very small kids.  Not a traditional
sock-style puppet, but rather a puppet of a sock, very simply worked with
my hand going in through the back of the head and into the mouth, other
hand operating a rod which controlled the base of the puppet (ie where your
foot goes in if it were a real sock!), in a black theatre booth.

>
>Why is it your favorite?

Absolutely the most simple and organic puppet I've ever had to operate, and
capable of immense subtlety.  In an early scene, the sock is left alone on
the washing line overnight, rejected by the other (paired) socks, and sings
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to the night sky.  With this puppet, I could
always wring tears from the children (not sobs or howls, I hasten to add,
just tears!).  Great moments in puppet theatre.....!

The other favourite was probably Ferdy in Babe - but he was the complete
opposite!  Very high-tech, with four to five operators, and it was really
just plain hard work at the time, and he wasn't "my" character.  That is, I
didn't create him - he was informed by the voicetrack (Danny Mann) and his
lead puppeteer (Allan Trautman), and the team effort.  But he's been one of
my favourites in terms of how the finished effect worked.

>
>When you are performing, what helps you get into the character of your puppet?

Having a good knowledge of the puppet's psychology - usually created
through lots of rehearsal time (or just plain mucking around, which is even
more important).

The other vital ingredient is quality of making.  If a puppet's too
difficult to operate, too heavy, too awkward, I'm spending all my energy
just holding the !-AT--AT-%$^#^$ thing up.  If the physical nature of the puppet
is co-operative, then I can put even more work into the character.

>
>If you could do one thing to make your character(s) stonger, what might it be?
>

Only one?

Get it better made, usually.

Assuming it's perfectly made and there's adequate rehearsal time and the
other people in the show are pulling their weight; the only thing left I
could do to make any character stronger is just keep working on it!  At the
end of the day, it's up to me to make the character the best I can.

Phew!  Well, you did ask.....  ;-)

Cheers, Janet

**************************************************
Janet Dalgliesh and Hugh Simpson

jdalhsim-AT-netspace.net.au

"I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I understand
....in the doing is the learning"

                Confucius




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