From: Jimsan777-AT-aol.com
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 18:20:10 EST
Subject: PUPT: Bolivian Puppet Fest report



For some who missed this and have asked that I re-submit......JimGamble

> Titiritay 2004, Bolivia
> Jim Gamble
> 
>      In 1958 I was a member of a summer tour to Cochabamba, Bolivia to teach
> English in the Instituto Americano high school. Since my specialty was
> puppetry, we also made puppets and put on programs for younger students.  It
> was my first time out of the USA and certainly my first experience in a 3rd
> world country, with cold showers, strange foods and customs, and learning
> not to be judgmental just because everything was different.
> 
>   This time I quickly accepted the invitation to perform for the Alliance
> Francaise sponsored First International Puppet Festival of Bolivia,
> "Titiritay 2004" March 12, 04 in Cochabamba.  And it was personally
> gratifying to see the school and revisit so many places after 46 years.
> There were many changes of course, but much remained the same. La canchas
> (markets) are filled with colorful items, Andean music and alpaca clothing> Aymara and Chechua Indian women still wear their bowlers and tall
> flat-topped white hats, and their weavings are even more colorful.  The
> sights and smells are as vivid as ever and the custom of throwing anything
> unwanted directly into the street is ever prevalent.
> 
>    The Festival included 16 companies from Brazil, Argentina, Peru, EEUU
> (me) and Bolivia.  They used mostly hand and rod puppets but the dramatic
> aspects were entertaining for the children.  About half the audiences in the
> small opera house style theater with four balconies, were adultos.  The
> sculpturing of the figures was very basic, the materials used were papier
> mache, foam rubber and fabric.  One company used rolled up newspaper and
> masking tape animated figures, but they achieved the purpose for telling the
> stories.  The director of the festival, Marcelo and Paola Barrios were more
> imaginative with using basic black theater techniques with masks.  Marcelo
> had performed for the Holon Festival in Israel in 2002, the year after I
> performed there.  It was obvious to me that he was influenced by that
> experience.  They gave me the award for "best of the festival."
> 
>        My trick marionettes were beyond the technical expertise of most
> participants, as they do not have access to tools, materials and the
> entertainment industry as we do in the US.  But as in ages past, puppeteers
> experimented with what they had.  One group normally performs in an old
> gutted school bus, others travel with their puppets and stages in back
> packs, several spent 2 1/2 days on a bus carrying their equipment in
> battered and taped carboard suitcases.  But all were happy to interface,
> meet new friends, and share stories and experiences.  The festival treated
> us to lavish banquets as Cochabamba is in the middle highlands, only 3500 ft
> above the altitude in Denver and the "breadbasket" of Bolivia.  La Paz and
> the altiplano are at 14,400 ft causing one to move very slowly.  Pilots
> never take off their oxygen masks, nor leave the cockpit during refueling at
> the airport.
> 
>      Bolivia is a beautiful, if poor country with mountains rising over
> 24,000 ft...almost as high as Everest.  On my first visit many years ago, I
> never met another puppeteer , but somehow small groups have formed and are
> bringing the art to the children of Bolivia.  I have many photos and video
> to share when possible.
> 
>      Next week, I'll fly to Urengoi, Russia (look on your globe for the
> arctic circle at about 77 degrees East)  I'll perform for another puppet
> festival which, I am told, is primitive but beautiful region with virgin
> Siberian forests.  This is because of my performances in Moscow in 2001 for
> the Obraztsov Festival.  This time I expect it to be very chilly.
> 
>      Sincerely, Jim Gamble
> 



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