File spoon-archives/puptcrit.archive/puptcrit_1997/97-02-09.045, message 53


Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 11:09:38 -0500 (EST)
From: John Bell <bellj-AT-is3.nyu.edu>
Subject: Re: Teschner Video


Yes, I just wanted to say, from an historic point of view, that one of the
things that is interesting about Teschner's work is its indebtedness to
Javanese rod puppet theater (wayang golek, I presume).  I think this is
interesting because it marks a moment where European (and Euro-American)
puppet theater turns (a bit) from string and rod marionettes and hand
puppets and allows itself to be influenced by Asian theater techniques.  I
say this because I think that nowadays, for example, you see Bunraku
influences everywhere in American puppet theater, whereas a few decades
ago (i.e., from Bufano through Baird and Tillstrom) puppet techniques were
pretty much defined by and limited to string marionettes and hand puppets.
It seems to me that part of the magic of Teschner's work was his interest
in the form (and content?) of Asian puppet theater.

I also appreciated very much Robert Smythe's description of how Mum Puppet
Theater works.

John Bell



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