Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC.^[1] Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects. Puppetry is used in almost all human societies both as an entertainment – in performance – and ceremonially in rituals and celebrations such as carnivals.^[2]

Most puppetry involves storytelling. The impact of puppetry depends on the process of transformation of puppets, which has much in common withmagic and with play. Thus puppetry can create complex and magical theatre with relatively small resources.

History of puppetry

Puppetry is a very ancient art form, thought to have originated about 30,000 years ago ^[1]. Puppets have been used since the earliest times to animate and communicate the ideas and needs of human societies.^[3] Some historians claim that they pre-date actors in theatre. There is evidence that they were used in Egypt as early as 2000 BC when string-operated figures of wood were manipulated to perform the action of kneading bread. Wire controlled, articulated puppets made of clay and ivory have also been found in Egyptian tombs.Hieroglyphs also describe "walking statues" being used in Ancient Egyptian religious dramas.^[1] The oldest written record of puppetry can be found in the written records of Xenophondating from around 422 BC.

"A Children's Puppet Show" (傀儡婴戏图轴), a painting by Chinese artist Liu Songnian (刘松年 1174-1224 AD), Song Dynasty

Asia

Evidence of earliest puppetry comes from the excavations at the Indus Valley Civilization.^[4] Archaeologists have unearthed terracotta dolls with detachable heads capable of manipulation by a string dating to 2500 BC.^[4] Other excavations include terracotta animals which could be manipulated up and down a stick, achieving minimum animation in both cases.^[4] The epic Mahabharata, Tamil literature from the Sangam Era, and various literary works dating from the late centuries BC to the early centuries of the Common Era, including Ashokan edicts, describe puppets.^[5]Works like the Natya Shastra and the Kamasutra elaborate on puppetry in some detail.^[6] The Javanese Wayang theater was influenced by Indiantraditions.^[7] Europeans developed puppetry as a result of extensive contact with the Eastern World.^[8] Some scholars trace the origin of puppets to India 4000 years ago, where the main character in Sanskrit plays was known as "Sutradhara", "the holder of strings".^[9] China has a history of puppetry dating back 2000 years, originally in "pi-ying xi", the "theatre of the lantern shadows", or, as it is more commonly known today, Chinese shadow theatre. By the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), puppets played to all social classes including the courts, yet puppeteers, as in Europe, were considered to be from a lower social stratum.^[1] In Taiwan, budaixi puppet shows, somewhat similar to the Japanese Bunraku, occur with puppeteers working in the background or underground. Some very experienced puppeteers can manipulate their puppets to perform various stunts, for example, somersaults in the air.

Japan has many forms of puppetry, including the bunraku. Bunraku developed out of Shinto temple rites and gradually became a highly sophisticated form of puppetry. Gidayu Takemoto and Monzaemon Chikamatsu were two noted banraku puppeteers. By 1730 it three puppeteers were required to operate each puppet in full view of the audience.^[1] The puppeteers, who dressed all in black, would become invisible when standing against a black background, while the torches illuminated only the carved, painted and costumed wooden puppets.

Chinese Shadow Puppet (Beijing Style)

Chinese Stick Puppets

Sanbaso Bunraku Puppet, Tonda Puppet Troupe, Japan

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