Puppetry Tips

What’s the best way to store and transport puppets? A puppet suitcase. It is universally known that puppets live in suitcases, and puppets don’t have legs.

Puppeteers of differing heights can be a hassle in a theatre. The simple solution is to make a sturdy wooden box (collapsible for ease of transport) for the shorter puppeteer to stand on.

Is kneeling on hard floors creating dents in your knees? Carry a cushion in your puppet suitcase.

Does your theatre curtain flap in the breeze? Secure it with Velcro tabs to the base pipe/strut.

Are you worried that the audience can see your arm below the puppet’s body? Make the puppet’s shirt longer, or attach a ‘skirt’ to the puppet the same colour as your theatre curtain. You won’t have to worry about operator flashes and it will allow your puppets to be of different heights, the same as people.

Puppet costumes? My Personality Puppets fit a child’s size 0-2. I went to a secondhand clothing store and found a dozen pieces for NZ$10. Occasionally I have to reduce the length of the sleeve or cut the bottom off a one-piece suit. A pair of denim dungarees didn’t need chopping because the bottom and legs are domed. I recommend you aim for clothing that buttons or zips down the front or back so the garment is easy to remove. Don’t forget to look for accessories like hats, scarves, jewelry, hair ribbons, etc. Have fun making your puppet look realistic. You can add a lot to your script through the clothing you choose, i.e. puppet’s scarf gets tangled in a bush, puppet loses his sunglasses only to find them on his head, or puppet wears a padded jacket that makes movement difficult.


CHOOSING A PLAY, NOT A SKIT
An important thing to understand is that you need a puppet play, not a skit. The Judges Form marks costumes, props, set, sound effects, voice variations such as shouting, laughing, whispering, etc, all the things you would expect if you paid to attend a theatrical play. If you don’t have these things in your script, you won’t get any points in these areas. Turn your puppet presentation into a theatrical presentation, and see what a difference it will make to the effectiveness of your message.


Note on Puppet Guidelines

It has been brought to my attention that there is some dispute over the interpretation of a sentence in the SPC Guidelines regarding the use of slang in puppet scripts.

The SPC Guidelines on Puppets state: Scripts must be tastefully presented, avoiding slang, insinuation, questionable language, or references to television, and should be consistent with a Biblical world view.

The International Guidelines on Puppets state: Scripts must be tastefully presented, avoiding slang insinuation of questionable language. Also avoid references to television or worldly practices such as movies, dancing, or mixed swimming.

I feel that the International version removes any doubt or dispute. The SPC version will not be revised until the end of 2008, so until then, I recommend you take the International version as the final authority.


Guidelines WARNING re. use of technician

The South Pacific Guidelines allow for a technician to assist the two puppeteers. International Guidelines, however, limit the team to two puppeteers, so all technical facets must be within the capabilities of those two puppeteers. If your script is designed for a team of three, don’t despair. A little concentration, manipulation, and flexibility could rearrange it for two.