When you say ‘puppet’ the image that comes to mind is that of an object manipulated by someone. Puppets have had a long and varied history.
Today it is considered an entertainment tool but puppets have been around since the earliest of times and have been used to communicate and give life to ideas.
It is believed that in 2000 BC in Egypt, string-operated figures of wood were manipulated to perform the action of kneading bread!
The ancient Greeks are also believed to have used puppetry as it has been mentioned in the works of Herodotus and Xenophon. Aristotle and Plato also talk about puppet theatre.
In India too, puppetry was popular. When Indus Valley sites were excavated clay dolls were discovered, indicating that puppets were used even at that time. Puppets have found mention in Tamil literature. It was known as Bommalattam and was mentioned in the literary classic called Silappathikaram . This was written around the second century.
Different forms
There are several types of puppets. Glove, string, shadow, sock, paper, animal, rod, giant and character.
Shadow puppetry uses flat figures as cut-outs which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen. The puppeteer then can make the figure appear to walk, dance, fight, nod and laugh.
In China, shadow puppets were made using donkey’s skin, sheepskin and so on.
As for the hand puppet, there are many variations. If the puppet does not have a movable mouth, three fingers on one hand become the neck and two arms. This is also referred to as glove puppet. If the puppet has a movable mouth, the thumb serves as the lower jaw; the four fingers form the upper mouth.
It is possible to handcraft puppets from papier-mâché, cloth, fur, plastic, leather and even pith.
Somewhere near you
Visuals are a great add-on to stories. One way of doing it is using puppets. You must have seen puppet shows either at school or at a friend’s birthday party or on the television, perhaps? Mumbai-based Usha Venkatraman is a professional storyteller who uses puppets as an educational tool. Her puppet shows introducing Carnatic music, Indian festivals and animals are a big hit with kids. Sometimes the narrative goes home with telling effect when presented as a puppet show.
What’s a muppet?
Not very different from puppets. A group of puppet characters known for an absurd, burlesque style of variety-sketch comedy. The names Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy may ring a bell. It is said that the American TV show series, The Muppet Show, was popular in the late '70s in about 100 countries. Own one!
Do you know you can make your own puppet theatre? Using just an iron board or even a shoebox!
Just for you:>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hL28SkHf1g
Peek into history
Though puppets have been around for centuries, the term “puppeteer” came into existence only about 100 years ago. Ellen Volkenburg of Chicago’s Little Theatre coined it for a marionette production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Before that puppet performers were simply known as “showmen”.
Despite this being the age of digital games, old fashioned imaginative play is still king. There is a certain delight in watching a world in miniature — which is, in short, where the puppeteer transports you to.
Make your own
Things you need:
> One sock
> A needle and thread
> Glue
> 2 buttons
Some wool
How to:
>Put the sock on your hand. Your thumb and four fingers form the mouth. Every time you talk, open and close your fingers.
>Fix the spot where the eyes would be.
>Sew the two buttons, these are the eyes. Cut lengths of wool and attach above the eyes. This forms the hair.
>Gather it together and glue the wool on to it. When the glue is dry, secure it better by sewing it to the sock in the same place. And your puppet is ready.
