From Pinocchio, to the ritualistic Wayang Golek marionettes of Indonesia, to baroque-style marionettes in the eighteenth century, marionettes have remained a great interest to their varied audiences throughout history.
Marionettes are lifeless objects with which a puppeteer brings life to through their movements and skill. While watching the performance, it is the puppeteer's job to bring the audience into the story and life of the otherwise lifeless marionette. For example in the Hansel and Gretel performance by the Salzburg Marionette Theater, the marionettes "moved" along to the music of classical composers. This underscore became quite popular with the Salzburg Theater.
Hansel and Gretel
In 1923, the Salzburg Marionette Theater was created in memory of the earlier European puppets. Marionettes became quite well known in the during the eighteenth century. The Theater brought old folk traditions back to the light with showings such as The Nutcracker, Hansel and Gretel, and The Sound of Music.
Pinocchio
With differences in culture come differences in the style and overall look of the puppet. Pinocchio was made with the goal to attract a very young audience, and with a very colorful and emotionally expressive puppet Pinocchio caught the eye of children with the friendly look. Throughout most of Disney's Movie, Pinocchio walks along without any strings, although a more realistic take is seen in the start of the movie when Geppetto carves him and attaches strings to him. What happens in Pinocchio is essentially what all puppeteers wish for their puppets-for their puppet to have life and become alive to the audience.
Wayang Golek
Wayang Golek is yet another style of Marionette Puppetry. This style uses rods to hold up the puppets from below, leaving an absence of strings. These marionettes performed for festivals and share history and rituals with their viewers. The making of the marionette is carried through the generations by families. Each member of the family plays a specific role. The head of the marionette is created by the head-puppeteer because it is denotes the personality of the marionette. The body is made by the children, the clothes by the wife, and before the marionette is brought to the stage a ceremony is performed so it can then be commenced as a god or demon.
Wayang Golek Shadow Marionette
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3.)"Salzburg Marionette Theatre : Marionettentheater." Visit Salzburg, Austria : Travel Guide. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.visit-salzburg.net/sights/marionette-theatre.htm>.
4.)"From Puppet Production in the Middle Ages to Baroque Marionettes." Czech Marionettes - Puppets, Quality Marionettes and Collectibles. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.czechmarionettes.com/from-puppet-production-in-the-middle-ages.html>.
5.)"The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation: Mira Felner, Claudia Orenstein: ISBN 9780205360635." Best Web Buys Price Comparison Shopping. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.bestwebbuys.com/The-World-of-Theatre-Tradition-and-Innovation-ISBN-9780205360635>.
This is excellent work. Complete and full. I love the video sample. Great find.
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