Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2003 17:15:04 -0800
Subject: PUPT: itinerant puppeteers
From: Dmitri Carter <dmitri-AT-nwpuppet.org>


Dear Colleagues,

Please excuse my sarcastic remark.  Puppeteers (myself included) tend to be
overly touchy about being looked down upon except those in parts of the
world where puppetry is and has been for centuries highly regarded.  Having
done a little translating, I know that "more appropriate terms" can be
fighting words.  Before seeing Vit's thoughts, I had mentioned to John that
it was not a comment on his friend's translation.

In general though, I don't think we should be too lofty to be willing to
apply the term vagrant to our trade.  Some people may have been vagrants
first and foremost, then depending upon opportunity would become
pick-pockets, busking musicians, con-artists, chicken-thieves and puppeteers
(not necessarily in that order).  Luckily for all of us, chicken thievery
has gone out of fashion and most of us don't have the constitution for any
of the others except striking up an occasional tune.

Aside from the interesting translation similarities that Vit found, he also
brings up an interesting topic of the forcibly de-itinerated puppeteers.
>From what I know, this was a very common and even official policy in many
communist countries perhaps partly influenced by USSR with most notably the
acclaim of Obraztsov (sp?).

Traditionally there were relatively small troupes which closely guarded
their secrets and often had fierce rivalries.  Through lumping everyone
together sharing, that would never have existed before, benefited technical
and manipulation development.  Adversely, I think it, along with the
political climate, reined in the level of creativity.

Also interesting with these massive institutions is the departmentalization
which lead to many puppeteers not knowing how to carve, carvers who did not
know how to make controls, set designers, costumers, etc... whereas the
traditional model required everyone to know how to do everything albeit
often without the level of expertise that the specialists had.

Without the support provided by the government in that era, it must have
been very difficult to downsize and/or restructure.  I know of many theatres
still under hardship.  Similarly but nowhere near the scale, current
conditions in the US are making cultural institutions take similar action.

After apologizing for one remark, I've probably just opened another can(s)
of worms.  I don't have any firsthand knowledge of the former Czechoslovakia
policies, results and current condition.  Perhaps Vit would like to share
some insights on his research of "vanrovni loutkari", their institutional
era, and the now Czech Republic with possibly even some re-itinerating.

In friendship,

Dmitri Carter


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