I've previously booked "Folded Feather" with an object puppetry family show "Suitcase Circus", which went down extremely well with children aged 4 upwards, though the puppeteers made no attempt to "talk down" to the children, and were clearly focussed on what you can do to animate a milk straw, a ski-glove, a sock, a pair of shoes. It was a show to stimulate kids imagination, and they all went away to "try this at home".
Life Still, however, is uncompromising object puppetry for adults, performed in a gloomy space on a large low table mic'd up to amplify and echo the noises objects made upon it.Possibly set in some post-apocalyptic future -canvas, sticks, a stretcher, a blanket became nameless creatures. At one point two shapeless canvas bags became unmistakeable chickens, with some very well observed chicken action. There are many memorable images, such as the amorphous creature made from the discarded piano action of a Steinway grand. But does it tell a story ? Is it more than two clever blokes amusing themselves with bits of junk ? Are we invited in to watch them play ?
There were nine of us in the audience, much the smallest of any show I saw.
I'll probably remember bits of it for a long time, but for the LIFE of me, I STILL don't know what to make of it, or how to begin to sell it !
(Suitcase Circus is good though, and they're still touring that).
Bob of Arts Out West
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