Traditionally, puppetry conjures up images of marionettes and Punch and Judy shows.
But while the more conventional forms of the art are still embraced and developed world-wide, the visions festival in Brighton has begun to curate more contemporary performances involving puppetry, further developed under the direction of visions Artistic and Executive Director, Linda Lewis.
‘What we are trying to do is to bring the performer much more into the picture to become an integral part of the show,’ Lewis explains.
visions originally began in 1994 as a puppetry festival.
Two years ago, Lewis inherited the 2000 festival programme at the last minute after her predecessor fell ill.
While in recent years the arts world has seen a proliferation of cross-art form collaborations, this cross-fertilisation process has not necessarily made an impact on puppetry.
Lewis, noting the majority of puppetry performances seem to be based on the traditional art form, recognised a gap in the market for a festival exploring more experimental works, fusing puppetry with other performance art and new media – combinations that the other performing arts have been embracing for some time.
‘This year is the first time the festival is really moving into a broader exploration of contemporary puppetry, so we decided to call it ‘visual performance,’ Lewis explains.
Which, I comment, sounds quite broad. So what actually constitutes ‘visual performance’ for this festival, I wonder?
‘Well, I’m always open to suggestions,’ Lewis laughs, ‘But I don’t like to draw boundaries. I suppose I commission work which is visual, theatrical in nature, it has to be contemporary, it can involve physical theatre, objects, animation and puppetry.
‘I’m looking for pieces which can only be created by puppets, things you could never do just with actors. So it really pushes forward the boundaries of what you can say and tell on the stage,’ she comments. ‘I’m also very keen on using new media to enhance that performance,’ Lewis continues.
One example of a piece reflecting Lewis’ vision is Body in Question, by Australian group Igneous.
Ex-DV8 dancer James Cunningham explores perceptions of body image through the story of his own disabling motorbike accident, combining dance with projections, video, and a large-scale puppet.
This element of the programme also chips away at another generalisation surrounding traditional puppetry – perhaps in part due to the incorporation of puppets into mainstream childrens’ television – that puppetry is solely childrens’ entertainment.
According to Lewis, festival performances like Body in Question and Children of the Beast target adult audiences, but those created for younger generations are just as likely to appeal to all age groups.
Children of the Beast, an Israeli-German collaboration between Teatron Theatre and Figuren Theater Tübingen, is another piece Lewis describes as one of the most compelling works in the visions programme.
The performance relates stories and memories from the perspective of children of Holocaust survivors, told by one actor and a puppeteer.
‘We do have work which is targeting an adult audience,’ Lewis points out, ‘but we also have children’s work – and I always find if work is good for children it’s good for anybody!’
‘I think sometimes people miss out on shows because they’re described as work for children but actually, they are very clever and very sophisticated,’ she enthuses.
Lewis refers to Germany’s Meiningen Theatre production of The Tin Soldier fairytale as an example, adding adults will also appreciate the technically sophisticated show, staged in an inflatable domed tent and incorporating multi-media projection, shadow puppets and live actors into the performance.
Brighton’s arts scene, set against the backdrop of a picturesque seaside town and a buzzing café and boutique culture stretching from The Lanes to the North Laine area, continues to flourish and draw large local and national audiences, many travel from London as one would expect considering the capital’s close proximity.
According to Lewis, the visions Festival has attracted strong local interest, reflected by 200 ticket sales to the re:visions seminar, the festival’s launch event on Thursday exploring the creative application of new media in live performance.
‘The wonderful thing about Brighton is that there are a lot of people willing to take a risk with new work,’ Lewis realises.
Which is a perfect audience for this festival Director’s vision. This year, Lewis says, she has focused largely on the combination of puppetry into dance, but she plans to expand the boundaries further in the future of the biennial festival.
‘I’m interested in the relationship between sound, sonic art, puppetry and movement,’ Lewis explains, adding one of her ambitions is to commission a British group to work collaboratively in an Eastern European country, to create work specifically for the festival.
Because, she continues, ‘what we’re looking for, doesn’t really exist yet.’
Visions – The Festival of Visual Performance, is at various venues around Brighton from October 24-November 2. For further information visit the Festival website, www.visions-festival.org.uk or to obtain a brochure call 01273 644099
