Hand Puppets

Danny | 08/11/2002 - 07:18

Hi everyone,

I'd like some advice about Hand Puppets from those that have used them in stage productions before.

I'm thinking about having a dog hand puppet as a character in our next play - it's a talking dog, by the way (Gaspode in Terry Pratchett's "The Truth", if you're interested) but having had no experience with puppets I'm not sure it's the best way to go.

I've done some web-searches to see if a dog puppet was available for purchase, and the only possibly suitable one I could find was the Folkmani's "Scruffy Dog", available in Australia via Elizabeth Richards
( www.elizabethrichards.com.au )

Does anyone know if these puppets are good for stage work, especially as an expressive, *talking* character? Is there anywhere else that you think I should look to find a puppet to buy? (Stores in Adelaide preferred, because I really don't want to buy a puppet sight unseen)

Any advice that experienced people can give me?

Or should I just not bother and put a person in a dog suit instead?

Thanks in advance,

Seeya. Danny.
Unseen Theatre Company
http://www.unseen.com.au

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Re: Hand Puppets

Author: Daniel Knight (not verified)
Date: 01/12/2002 - 01:43

C'mon... go the hand puppets Danny! I guy in a costume ain't fooling anyone better then a guy with their hand stuck a puppets bum!

Make it yerself as well so you can open and close its mouth and stuff. Should be fairly easy. Gaspod's only suppose to roughly look like a dog anyway. Eye-wink

Didn't you guys use a puppet for Errol when you did guards?

Daniel Knight

PS Besides... puppets are cool.

Re: Hand Puppets

Author: crgwllms
Date: 01/12/2002 - 10:44

Daniel Knight wrote:
>
> C'mon... go the hand puppets Danny! I guy in a costume ain't
> fooling anyone better then a guy with their hand stuck a
> puppets bum!
>
> Make it yerself as well so you can open and close its mouth
> and stuff. Should be fairly easy. Gaspod's only suppose to
> roughly look like a dog anyway. Eye-wink
>
> Didn't you guys use a puppet for Errol when you did guards?
>
>
> Daniel Knight
>
> PS Besides... puppets are cool.

Yes, puppets ARE cool. Don't let me convince you otherwise. Some puppeteers, though, can leave much to be desired. Skilled puppeteers are just as important as skilled actors. Good luck with the show, whatever you decide.

Cheers,
Craig

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Re: Hand Puppets

Author: Danny
Date: 02/12/2002 - 07:03

Sorry, Daniel, the decision's been made. No puppets, because I don't trust myself enough to use them - there's not an ounce of puppeteering experience in our whole company, unfortunately.

Gaspode as a person-in-dog-suit worked fine for The Fifth Elephant (in fact, plenty of audience members said the 'dog' was one of their favourite characters) and the primary reason for the puppets was to have one or two less people in the cast... and I figure extra people are probably easier to manage, and as Craig says, puppets don't buy you a drink at the pub after the show Sticking out tongue

Our Errol wasn't actually a puppet, just a stuffed toy, and Errol didn't have a swathe of dialogue, which Gaspode does...

(Admitted Wuffles doesn't have much dialogue - he's a dog that *doesn't* talk, but it's probably easier to get 2 dog suits than 2 puppets and a skilled puppeteer)

Thanks for all your thoughts anyway Smiling

Seeya. Danny.

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Hand Puppets

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