In collaboration with Mike Pattison and Sofie Layton.
A unique rod puppet design which 18 partners from around the country replicated in a week long residency at the Kinetika Studio, 2009.
The characters were based loosely on The Little Prince story and were to see their world from the perspective of a small child in an alien landscape.
The figure was 90cm (approx height of 3-4yr old) and made from plywood profile shapes skinned with a distinct patterned aluminium mesh.
Parallel poles inserted into the back led approx: 200cm to a counterweighted metal hoop worn over the shoulder by the central puppeteer. This allowed the puppet to bend forwards & back. This puppeteer also had controls to move the head up-down, side to side and blink eyelid.
Each hand was controlled by it’s own performer via a rod with one person on the leg rods.
The aim was that 5 performers would allow for a wide range of natural movements together with the ability to jump higher than adults and to fly. Because they were always with, yet a distance away from the small figure they became part of it’s performance, both stewards and audience.
The puppets were all named and have been collecting stories around the country ever since.