Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 17:22:40 -0400
Subject: PUPT: Re:Puppets and monologues


Pretson Foerder wrote:

>
> From: "Preston Foerder" <preston-AT-pfpuppetry.com>
> Subject: PUPT: Re: monologues
>
> Since my name has come up here, I thought I'd throw in a couple of cents.
> (It's like that horror movie, say my name 3 times and I appear).  I think
> the wrong way to do this is to do a monologue with a puppet.  It's the old
> "if you can do it better with an actor, why use a puppet?"  theory.  Puppets
> can't do monologues as well as actors.  We aren't impressed with the puppets
> recitation of the text and in a strict monologue setting the puppet is not
> capable of creating the empathy that is inherent in a human being.

I'm glad you said that!

I once had a Punch and Judy performance at some "Olde Home day" or something like that and I was  approached after the show by the owner of an old tavern. He  asked If I could perform my P&J act at the tavern and he had a script of the show he wanted me to perform. It was "Punch and Benjamin Franklin" or something to that effect. It was page after page of dialog. No action, no sight gags, no pantomime, no visual effects. In other words, nothing that would be interesting if performed by puppets, (especially
hand puppets with non-moving mouths !) He wasn't to happy when I turned him down, and he insisted it would be a great show. (Punch played the tavern owner.) He couldn't understand  how much better the show would have been with live actors in period wardrobes.

However you're wrong, There is something more boring than a puppet standing and singing, it's a puppet standing around and talking. (At least a song has music.)

Joe H



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