From: "Preston Foerder" <preston-AT-pfpuppetry.com>
Subject: Re: PUPT: Re: Puppet types: names, + Lexicon of puppetry terms
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 18:58:02 -0400


I think, in general, what we are referring to is that particular Japanese
company that performs at that particular theater.  Full body figures, 3 -4'
tall are manipulated by 3 puppeteers in full view, (hooded in black except
for masters who wear costumes and are not hooded) on the main characters,
fewer puppeteers on minor characters.  The plays are taken from a classic
repertory, and all lines are spoken by the joruri or narrator accompanied by
a musician.  The training regimen involves working for 10 years on the feet,
and 10 years on the right hand before becoming a master who can manipulate
the head and left hand.  I believe, the debate arises out of the fact that
we Americans (myself included) are far too impatient to spend that much time
apprenticing and we want to get our hands on the head right away.  Hence,
the idea that a similar style practiced here is not "real" bunraku even
though that apparently isn't the name, anyway.

Preston

----- Original Message -----
From: "BFall" <bfall-AT-toledolibrary.org>
To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 6:27 PM
Subject: RE: PUPT: Re: Puppet types: names, + Lexicon of puppetry terms


> OK, I've been trying to act cool through all this, but I just can't stand
it
> anymore!  At the risk of sounding stupid, I have to ask what "actual
> bunraku" is (besides the theater).  I thought "bunraku-style" was
"bunraku",
> but I now imagine I've never seen "actual bunraku" (Like Mathieu, I
"enjoy"
> quotation marks.).
>
> Sign me --
> Uneducated in Toledo
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Preston Foerder
> To: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU
> Sent: 8/5/03 2:02 PM
> Subject: Re: PUPT: Re: Puppet types: names, + Lexicon of puppetry terms
>
> I, myself, use the term bunraku-style with no shame whatsoever.  I add
> the
> style to indicate that it is not actual bunraku.  In my mind it refers
> to a
> puppet visually manipulated (or a vue for our francophone friends) from
> behind.  I, personally, don't like the term table-top. We don't refer to
> floor-surface puppets or playboard-top puppets or floating-in-air
> puppets.
> So there.
>
> Referring to the message below, I have also recently met a Japanese
> puppeteer who told me that Bunraku is actually the name of the
> particular
> theater building in which that company performs and not the style of
> puppetry.  So the English equivalent would be doing New Victory puppetry
> or
> Loew's puppetry.   She actually couldn't tell me what the word was for
> the
> style of puppet besides puppet.
>
> Besides, I believe, that we, as Americans, have the god-given right to
> bastardize anyway else's culture for our own immoral purposes (namely
> puppetry).
>
> Preston
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Andrew Periale" <perryalley-AT-rscs.net>
> To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 5:21 PM
> Subject: Re: PUPT: Re: Puppet types: names, + Lexicon of puppetry terms
>
>
> > On a mildly ironic note, I have crossed paths on a number of occasions
> > with Japanese who were not puppeteers, and who spoke very little
> > English. In trying to communicate with them about puppetry I used the
> > word "bunraku" and got only quizzical looks, but when I said "ningyo
> > joruri," they knew instantly what I was talking about. We forget (or
> are
> > unaware) that bunraku refers to the theatre and is not a description
> of
> > the type of pupptery it employs.
> >
> > A.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >   --- Personal replies to: Andrew Periale <perryalley-AT-rscs.net>
> >   --- List replies to:     puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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> >
>
>
>
>
>   --- Personal replies to: "Preston Foerder" <preston-AT-pfpuppetry.com>
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>
>   --- Personal replies to: BFall <bfall-AT-toledolibrary.org>
>   --- List replies to:     puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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>




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