For the Buxton Puppet Festival 2010, the Funny Wonders Youth Group performed a showcase of their work during the spring and, in the morning of our showcase, we hosted a shadow puppet-making workshop called ‘Don’t Call Me Trash’, run by Angie Pearson, aiming to inspire the reuse and recycling of materials. Participants were asked to bring their own materials including cereal boxes and materials. They also came back in the evening to perform again before the Youth Group showcase.
We also hosted a TV puppetry workshop with our Director, Marcus Clarke.
For more pictures and details of the youth group‘s work and puppet theatre shows, see the project page here.
After an exciting week of preparation and rehearsals, I was gaining a good insight into Funny Wonders and the dedicated work and many skills that go into performance. Saturday came and the build-up to the evening held all the suspense and magic which was to flow out later in the evening from a small back-lit screen where the puppeteers of all ages transformed the darkened studio at Buxton Community School into a place of fairy tale and wonder. Younger children under Angie’s direction performed an eco-story of dirty river and polluted environment transformed into a tale of hope with a mermaid, shark, fish, and injured turtle, playing their parts as goodies, baddies and victim, in the old fight of good against evil. All turned out right in the end with three wishes granted and a cleaner, better, world.
The audience were entranced as the young Narrator wove her story into the shadow puppets’ actions. A Japanese folk tale was performed by the young people, under Doug’s direction, which told of a mysterious woman arriving in the night, offering to weave beautiful cloth, which would make the poor carpenter’s fortune. But human failings and broken promises spoiled these hopes as mistrust took over and the fortune literally flew away in the shape of a crane that had secretly been weaving the cloth. Laurie’s Band accompanied each story with lively music and I realised again the facets which make up the show, including subtle lighting, magical shadow puppets, humour, artistry and other effects all combining to make another lovely show.
Carol Taylor-Bruce
Funny Wonders Incorporated Community Interest Company #06814964
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