Puppet Theatre Research Articles

Séraphin (1747-1800), "the facetious hunchback": How ankylosing spondylitis contributed to the success of his shadow puppet theatre.

Séraphin (1747-1800) is considered the founder of shadow puppetry in France. This "facetious hunchback", well known to Parisians in the late 18th century, ran his own theater until his death in 1800 at the age of 53. His deformity seems to have left its mark on popular memory, and was an integral part of the "Théâtre Séraphin". Part of his skeleton was preserved in the Dupuytren Museum in Paris. In 1897, it was described as a "particular kind of ankylosis, probably different from ordinary kyphosis". Then, in 1899, Dr. André Léri, a pupil of Pierre Marie, hypothesized from skeletal analysis that Séraphin must have suffered from rhizomelic spondylosis (the first french name for ankylosing spondylitis). In this article, we present the recent analysis of his skeleton, restored at the Dupuytren Museum, as well as old documents, a graphic representation and texts that allow us to make the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. These documents show how this deforming disease contributed to the success of Seraphin's theatre.

From social-emotional learning to social-emotional competence in Israeli-Palestinian teachers’ professional development

ABSTRACT This qualitative study investigated the contribution of a tailored 30-hour teachers’ professional development (TPD) course in social-emotional learning (SEL) to developing the social-emotional competence (SEC) of 50 Israeli-Palestinian teachers. The course incorporated active learning practices such as mindfulness, simulations, and puppet theater grounded in the CASEL framework and ecological theory. Analysis of semi-structured interviews and reflective texts revealed the course’s effectiveness in improving teachers’ SEL knowledge, self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills. It also promoted understanding of conducting culturally situated SEL to address issues such as violence and meet parents’ needs during COVID-19. Overall, incorporating experiential SEL practices into TPD can develop teachers’ SEC and wellbeing. Recommendations include further research on adapting SEL for minority communities to enable transformative education.

Street Puppet Theatre Shows on the Façades of Commercial Buildings as a Novel Stimulator for Social Gatherings in Smart Cities

This study investigates the innovative use of street puppet theatre performances on the façades of commercial buildings to stimulate social gatherings in smart cities. This research investigates the impact of a unique musical puppet show held throughout the 2024 holiday season in the well-known shopping mall El Corte Inglés in Madrid, Spain. This study utilises both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, such as space syntax analysis and empirical observations. It uses the UCL Depthmap 10 software program to assess urban morphology and identify integrated and segregated areas. Observations and video recordings were conducted to analyse social gatherings and behaviours during the performances. The findings reveal that these performances attract diverse audiences and foster social engagement, transforming commercial façades into vibrant public spaces. The study concludes that such innovative uses of urban architecture can significantly enhance the sociability of detached and segregated urban spaces. The research demonstrates that this particular dynamic façade not only fosters social sustainability by creating lively urban spaces but also contributes to economic sustainability by attracting potential customers to commercial centres. This research advances the discourse on smart city development and public space utilisation, offering valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers on leveraging interactive urban façades to enhance public engagement and revitalise underutilised spaces.

Contemporary Chinese Animation Design as a Reinterpretation of Traditional Cultural Connotations Based on Shadow Puppet Theater

Contemporary Chinese Animation Design as a Reinterpretation of Traditional Cultural Connotations Based on Shadow Puppet Theater

“The People’s Garibaldi”: Twentieth-Century Politics of a Risorgimento Icon

Garibaldi epitomizes the Italian Risorgimento also on an iconographical level. With particular reference to Sicily in the 20th century, this article aims at analyzing first some aspects of an often thaumaturgical Garibaldi figure within subaltern culture, chiefly through handcrafts, political tattoos, painted scenes pertaining to the traditional puppet theater, as well as to ornate carts. All these contexts show a dense circulation between “high” and “low” culture. The elections for the regional parliament in 1947 were characterized by the massive use of Garibaldi in the frame of Communist propaganda too. Here we try to shed light on this strategy and the related iconographic choices. In the celebrations for the victory of the political left, the sacred dimension of Garibaldi’s mythic status is evident; his image is carried around during St. Joseph’s festival too.

Intermedial and theatrical perspectives of AI: Re-framing the Turing test

Artificial intelligence (AI), the understanding and building of computational agents that act intelligently, is claimed to be a powerful, pervasive medium. Although we interact with it and hear a lot about it, we do not ‘see’ AI but experience its manifestations and/or outcomes, such as chatterbots and virtual assistants. A criterion for deeming an artificial agent as intelligent has been already proposed by Turing in 1950, coined as the ‘Imitation Game’, where a machine takes the place of a man, known as the Turing test. Despite the test being initially conceived as a make-believe game, AI has been enmeshed in major fields of human social activity and co-determines our lives. In this article, AI is compared with the media type of theatre performance, the epitome of make-believe, on the basis of intermediality. Furthermore, the analogies between AI and theatre are discussed and the paradigm of the puppet theatre as well as the medium of the mask prevail in the analysis. Findings are discussed, especially in light of the mind–body split and the alignment problem, and their implications are contemplated, allowing a re-estimation and re-framing of the Turing test in its theatrical and performative dimension.

ПРОЄКТУВАННЯ ТЕАТРАЛЬНО-ВИДОВИЩНИХ ЦЕНТРІВ ДЛЯ ДІТЕЙ ТА МОЛОДІ (на прикладі досвіду кафедри дизайну архітектурного середовища)

The article explores the influence of educational, research, and competitive design of theatrical and spectacle buildings developed by professors and students of the Department of Architectural Environment Design at the Institute of Architecture and Design National University "Lviv Polytechnic". Within the framework of the contemporary cultural and educational environment, where active youth participation is a vital component of cultural development, there is a necessity for the creation of adaptive, innovative spaces for creativity and communication. The persistence of outdated architectural forms, characteristic of the Soviet period, particularly in segments like theaters for young audiences and puppet theaters, is emphasized. The absence of innovation in these types of structures at the beginning of the 21st century is noted, especially concerning theatrical and spectacle institutions such as theaters for young audiences and puppet theaters, which continue to exist but do not meet the modern needs for quality cultural education of Ukrainian youth. An analysis of over ten projects at all levels shows that a significant portion not only reproduces the concepts of architects from the second half of the 20th century but also incorporates elements inherited from theatrical and spectacle buildings of the former USSR. However, in recent years, the Lviv architectural school, particularly following the establishment of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, has shown a tendency towards experimentation and the search for innovative solutions for the architecture of the future. This is evidenced by the results of educational and competitive design projects, as well as the introduction of special courses that revive the ideas of futuristic architecture from the last century. Achievements in this field reflect the architectural visions of renowned masters such as F. Kiesler and I. Leonidov, as well as contemporary researchers like A. Quarmby, K. Tange, B. Fuller, G. Golmin and G. Kreiger, who explore the possibilities of future architecture. The article provides a classification of theatrical and spectacle centers for children and youth. The author discusses factors that continue to negatively impact the development of theatrical and spectacle centers in Ukraine in the future. The experience of designing research, educational, and competitive projects, exemplified by the activities of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, demonstrates that it can find application in the applied architectural and construction industry of the country as a whole.

Development of communication skills of older preschoolers in the conditions of updated educational content

Relevance. The relevance of the research in this article is conditioned upon the problem of developing communication skills in the conditions of the new format of the education programme of Kazakhstan, which implies that children learn three languages already at the stage of preschool education. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to develop a model for organising the expansion of communication skills with the study of three languages in the framework of preschool education, considering the psychophysiological development of children. Methodology. The leading method for the study of this problem is a diagnostic drawing method for determining the emotional background of a child, pedagogical observation for influencing factors on the expansion of the sphere of communication while maintaining a health-preserving atmosphere by educators during training and stay of children in preschool institutions. Results. The article presents a model for organising the expansion of communication skills in preschoolers based on methods that take into account their psychophysiological development, enabling them to arouse interest and develop motivation to learn languages in a health-preserving environment, considering age-related features such as musical and literary evenings, puppet theatre, dance and musical evenings, learning songs, etiquette, watching movies and small interviews, playing "Around the World", virtual excursions to museum complexes, holidays and fairs of different countries with the preparation of crafts for them. Conclusions. The formed model of organising the development of communication skills in preschoolers contributes to the development of their communication skills in different languages, considering the preservation of their harmonious development and health, as well as with the establishmentment of a model of their creative, cultural behaviour within social life, which is of practical importance for the education system and the well-being of society. Keywords: language learning; pedagogical diagnostics; emotional background; motivation; age characteristics

Grace, the Body, and the Aesthetic in J. M. Coetzee’s Foe

This essay revisits J. M. Coetzee’s representation of Friday’s body in his 1986 novel Foe in the context of his long-standing interest in the idea of grace. Through a reading of Friday’s dancing in Foe, I argue that Coetzee’s representation of Friday consistently invokes grace as a physical and aesthetic concept, rather than the theological emphasis that has prevailed in critical discussions to date. The reading is amplified by evidence from the Coetzee Papers at the Harry Ransom Center, which points towards Coetzee’s engagement in the early 1980s with the work of German writer Heinrich von Kleist and his ‘On the Puppet Theatre’. I draw on contemporary scholarship that revisits aesthetic theory, the backdrop for Kleist’s dialogue, in the context of the transatlantic slave trade in order to understand the implications of Coetzee’s use of the figure of the puppet and the significance of grace as an aesthetic concept for his novel.

Prefigurative Politics at Bread and Puppet Theater

Abstract Bread and Puppet (B&P) Theater is one of the oldest, most influential, and well-known puppet theaters both in the United States and abroad and has been at the forefront of puppetry, performance, and political protest for more than half a century. B&P also functions as a site of tension in prefigurative political theory, between creative world building and alternative decision-making structures. B&P fosters a powerful lived experience of prefigurative politics. The political process of envisioning alternative realities took place through performance, puppets, and the shifting sense of temporality in an isolated location. At the same time, B&P operates in a state of flux, at the center of a constant stream of apprentices, volunteers, and audience members. They rely on hierarchical decision-making to facilitate order, which challenges the prefigurative ideal of a democratic community. B&P models a mediated form of prefigurative politics in which a hierarchical governance structure and creative world building exist in tension with one another. The theater has worked within this tension to survive and even flourish. B&P complicates prefigurative politics in social movement theory and practice, as the hierarchy helps preserve some sense of order but conflicts with the more egalitarian vision of the world represented in their performances. B&P's intervention in prefigurative politics offers lessons to social movements and artistic practices in the contemporary resurgence of prefigurative politics.

The Use and Impact Socialization of Religious Moderation Values Through Media of Hand Puppet Theater Stages Toward Forming Character of Tolerance In Primary School Students

Indonesia is a country with a rich diversity of religions and cultures. This diversity is a defining characteristic of the Indonesian nation and must be preserved and respected. This research aims to promote values of religious moderation through hand puppet theater performances to shape the tolerance character of elementary school students. Adopting a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology, which includes counseling, art performances, group discussions, and material distribution, this research strives for accurate results. The findings of this study will demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of performances in influencing the character of students at MIS Nurul Yaqin. A child's character is significantly shaped by their experiences at home, school, and in their community. This research indicates that the character development of MIS Nurul Yaqin students is influenced by three key aspects: (1) moral knowing, (2) moral feeling, and (3) moral action.

The Effectiveness of a Training Program based on Puppets Theater in developing some Social and Ethical Values among Kindergarten children in the Directorate of Private Education

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of puppet theater in the development of some social values ​​(participation, self-reliance, etiquette, safety and security rules) and the development of some ethical values ​​(honesty, trust, altruism, benevolence, tolerance, apology). In order to achieve the aim of the study, the semi-experimental methodology was used in order to suit the objectives and nature of the study, depending on two groups, one of them is control and the other is experimental, chosen by the intentional method from the Evangelical Savior Kindergarten in Zarqa Governorate. The study revealed statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental group students before applying the training program based on puppet theater (pre-test) and after applying the program in social and moral values ​​in favor of the post-test. The results showed the effectiveness of the training program based on puppet theater in developing some social values ​​by (1.44) in average scores and by (42.2%), and the effectiveness of the training program based on puppet theater in developing some social values ​​was (1.64) in mean scores. By (145%). The study recommended the necessity of including kindergarten curricula with educational activities based on Puppet Theater in order to instill some moral and social values ​​for them.

Epic Sock Puppet Theater : artistic tactics for mitigating online disinformation

This case study presents the artistic research and production process for an interactive installation, Epic Sock Puppet Theater (ESPT), that uses artivist tactics to engage with the divisive socio-political content of online disinformation campaigns. The project allows viewers to interact with a dataset of social media posts made by “sock puppets” or imposter accounts used as part of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns so the viewer can become better equipped to recognize disinformation in their own social media feeds, less susceptible to its negative effects and less likely to unwittingly share it. The project is based on inoculation theory, a biological metaphor for building resistance against future disinformation through careful preemptive exposure to disinformation messages, as well as research that found that the revelation of a sock puppet account helped social media users identify other sock puppets spreading disinformation. In this case study, we summarize our research, user testing, and artistic process as a resource for others who may be interested in combining research, art and activism. Through our research and experimentation, we carefully selected artistic tactics, focusing on techniques from Brechtian epic theater to present emotionally and politically charged content that is designed to polarize viewers in a way that allows for critical reflection. The result is an artistic solution to a socio-technical problem: an animatronic sock puppet theater that simultaneously helps to familiarize and distance the public from online sock puppet disinformation, to creatively mitigate its negative effects.

SPANISH PUPPET THEATER OF 17TH CENTURY SEVILLE

In the history of world theater studies, there has been a tradition of identifying puppet theater as a separate art direction, isolating it from the current theatrical process. If you open the article by B. V. Goldovsky’s “Puppet Theater” in the modern “Great Soviet Encyclopedia”, then from the definition it is obvious that puppet theater belongs to theatrical art. In the tradition of Western and domestic theater studies, it is customary to view history through the prism of the biographies of authors woven into the fabric of the historical context, as well as the surviving texts of plays. Based on this method, bypassing historical documents, over the centuries a picture of the formation of professional theater has emerged. With the advent of computer technology and the beginning of the process of digitization of archives, it became possible to work with documentary primary sources. That is why it is necessary to re-clarify and supplement existing information in order to have a correct understanding of the history of world theater, which certainly influences the modern theatrical process. Spanish puppet theater, unfortunately, also became an exception from teaching aids, although throughout the history of the theater, puppet shows accompanied performances in the Corrals and enjoyed no less success with the public. The center of development of puppet theater in the 16th century was Seville, which was experiencing the Golden Age of theatrical culture. Thanks to the successful completion of the archive digitization process, based on primary sources, it is possible to reconstruct the puppet theater and compare it with modern analogues. Since there are no monographs on Spanish puppet theater in Russian theater studies, the purpose of the article is to draw attention to the relevance of the problem and clarify key points using the example of the reconstruction of the performance of the troupe of V. Colomer in the Monteria Corral in Seville in the 17th century.

Improving Foundational Language Skills of Standard Arabic in Early Childhood by Using Language Immersion-Based Learning Enhanced with Art Activities

The fundamental language skills acquired during early childhood play a pivotal role in a child's developmental progress in kindergarten and the initial stages of primary education. This study aimed to improve the foundational language proficiency in Standard Arabic among early childhood children by implementing a language immersion-based learning approach enriched with art activities. The experimental approach was used through a quasi-experimental design based on one group, with pre- and post-measurements. The study sample consisted of 30 first-grade primary school children aged 6-7 years. A comprehensive list of foundational linguistic skills in Standard Arabic essential for the study sample was compiled, the list included the skills of: phonological awareness, listening, standard speaking skills, and linguistic vocabulary. Educational content for art activities, including puppet theatre, dough modeling, and flat expression drawing, was suggested across 15 sessions. An oral test was administered to assess the children's foundational language skills in Standard Arabic. The results demonstrated statistically significant effectiveness in utilizing language immersion-based learning enhanced by art activities, the differences between the average scores of the children in the study sample in the pre- and post-measurements on the oral test of foundational language skills were in favor of the post-measurement. The study recommends integrating identified foundational language skills into early childhood art activities and underscores the importance of immersive learning in language skill instruction at this developmental stage.

Effectiveness of Puppet Theatre as an Educational Tool in Pre-primary Classes in Kerala

Effectiveness of Puppet Theatre as an Educational Tool in Pre-primary Classes in Kerala

A Preliminary Study on the Integration Path of Shadow Puppet Theater Culture and Tourism in Min-Tai Region

A Preliminary Study on the Integration Path of Shadow Puppet Theater Culture and Tourism in Min-Tai Region

Other "Hamlet" in Puppet Theatre: A Contribution to Central European Theatre Diversity of the 1980s-1990s

This study aims to address the stigmatization and reductionism of Central European culture by many scholars and to decentralize it. At the Crossing Borders with Shakespeare Since 1945 conference, the roundtable discussion raised questions about naming and defining “Central Europe” and revealed several discrepancies. However, the discussion lacked cultural, political, and historical context. To address this, the author examines a lesser-known artistic genre, puppet theatre, for answers and comparisons. Zlatko Bourek, a Croatian artist and director, offers a unique perspective on the theatre of the 1980s and serves as an example of the diversity and heterogeneity of Central European cultural expression. Bourek’s work draws from the tradition of Central European puppetry and explores connections between the Iron Curtain and Yugoslavia. His artistic style is exemplified in his adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s play Fifteen-Minute Hamlet, which masterfully condenses the entire plot of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet into a fifteen-minute performance. Bourek’s concept of combining Shakespearean tragedy with farce, presented through Japanese traditional Bunraku theatre, represents an important experiment of the 1980s. The use of syncretism and the aesthetics of ugliness are notable features of this experiment. It is a breakthrough in the perceived history of puppet theatre for adults and an aesthetic experiment in the era of Central European totalitarianism.

Introduction

The essay introduces the issue dedicated to World Epics and Puppet Theater

The Carolingian Epic in Traditional Liège Puppet Theatre: A Case Study of “Huon de Bordeaux” and “Quatre fils Aymon”

Although Carolingian epics are at the heart of the traditional Liège puppet repertoire, they remain a little explored field of research. This essay focuses on two epics, Les quatre fils Aymon and Huon de Bordeaux, which serve as case studies to examine the transition from narrative to dramatic text and its transposition for the regional puppet stage. Following the stories from the,annotated novels to the modern plays, the first part shows how the dramatisation of the prose text gradually developed. The second part examines the creation process of staging the story of the paladins of France from the point of view of regional identification, focusing on the role of Tchantchès, the typical character of the Liège puppet theatre.