From: Angusson-AT-aol.com Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 16:16:46 EDT Subject: Re: PUPT: Mime Article In a message dated 8/28/99 1:31:43 PM, slovpete-AT-telesouth1.com writes: << 5. Puppet theatre is uniquely able to marry the polarities of the theories of Artaud (who believed the audience should be able to be completely involved in the spectacle) and Brecht (who believed that the audience should be aware at all times that they are watching a play and not real life). We can have the audience become totally involved in a character, while, at the same time, showing them, precisely, the mechanics of manipulating the puppet. >> Preston, et al, Gee, I wish I had said some of that! Great dicussions. I've been reluctant to dive in because it's very difficult for me to verbalize some of my thoughts on these topics. I've mentioned before that I have a "sense" of these things but can't always convey that sense. But Preston has struck a chord here which "speaks" to me. Puppetry, to me, has always been "unique" in all its forms because of this marriage of willing involvment of the audience and at the same time intellectual recognition of what one was watching to which Preston alludes. I don't agree with the last line. I believe that if the audience is totally involved, then the mechanics in whatever form retreat to their proper place in the presentation. That is to say, they disappear. Not that the audience isn't aware of what it's seeing. Read on. The audience (me) allows itself to suppress its intellectual analysis of the mechanical goings-on in order to participate in the - let me say - spiritual aspects of the production. Mechanical here might include the puppeteer......... Phillipe Genty uses the word "animisim" to describe the attributes which we as audience impose upon an inanimate object to give it a sense of "life." He bases this on primitive (?) cultures which believe that all inanimate things possess a spirit. Jo Cheng (UConn student in Bart's program) used the expression that puppets allow us to explore the "phenomenon of life." The puppet is also unique (and this has been stated before) because it IS. It does not have to suppress ITS ego or self before it can realize its character as an actor must do. It is created "unique." In a sense, pure. Hopefully completed or realized when brought to life by a skilled puppeteer. I can't explain it but it happens to me as performer when I am totally focused on the character I am trying to - NOT portray - but CONVEY to the audience. I KNOW when I am successful and it is painfully obvious when I am not. Rufus Rose said that the puppet must appear to THINK in order to be believable to an audience. I agree but I feel that the puppeteer must BELIEVE in the puppet, first, and for the same reason. I use the word "transported" a lot when discussing a good puppet production. A good performance can lift us out of our "everyday" and for a few wonderful moments, let us soar. We've all had such moments. It's an amazing gift and an awesome responsibility to think that we have that same power. I might add that puppetry for children might be construed as being "easier" but only because they are more willing to be themselves and participate in the magic of the moment. We have to work a lot harder to convinvce adult audiences that we are worthy of their time. My guess is that puppet theater in Europe does not have this problem. So, how deep am I in it? Thanks for all of this. Fred Thompson --- Personal replies to: Angusson-AT-aol.com --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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