After five weeks of Conferences for a Better World, which is part of their pre-campaign for what's coming soon, Itínera Theater has become fully comfortable with hosting weekly online encounters. The first four focused more on the natural building side, so now the second half of these events are geared towards the scenic arts. This Sunday, it will be the turn of Merlin Puppet Theatre to give a little talk about themselves, and invite you all to come and get to know them.
... But Not THAT Kind of Theater. Or Why Not?
Puppetry is a curious concept. On one hand, the puppets give off a goofy and quirky impression, even before they had a chance to do anything. No wonder they are so popular with kids, so much so that one could mistakenly associate them to be exclusively for children. On the other hand, by simply being puppets, they can make any serious topic geared towards an adult audience more palatable, even enjoyable. For Itínera this became apparent in their show Antonia, a work teaching children the importance of taking care of their bodies. Though it is a play performed by human actors, there are some puppets participating as well.
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Over the last season in Mazunte, there was also a residency program organized for artists who had been into making and using puppets. The result was a number of giant insect masks, created during the workshop, and used for a bit of performance you can get a feel for in this video. So you can see, Itínera is no stranger to puppets. However, between them and the well experienced Merlin Puppet Theatre lie worlds.
For Adults, for Children, and for Both
Merlin Puppet Theater was founded in 1995 in Athens, at first creating masks and puppets for other artists. By 2001 they were performing shows with their own puppets, and by now they have presented hundreds of shows in numerous theaters and festivals in over 42 countries worldwide. Since 2011 the group has been based in Berlin, with a huge following all over Europe and the world. Additionally, they provide educational workshops, and are active at attending conferences, exhibitions, and seminars. They have been collaborators with other related groups, such as The Tiger Lillies, Dirty Granny Tales and Opera Chaotique.
Their shows range from the cute to the grotesque, not shying away from such topics as death, depression, or the futility of existence. Their 2012 play Clowns' Houses illustrates five lonely characters' lonely lives in a high-rise apartment block. Similarly, Noose from 2019 is described as "absurd" and a "black comedy", and deals with lives never lived. Both plays are intended for audiences of fifteen or above. In contrast, their 2015 work Noone's Land is supposedly suitable for anyone of at least four years, even though it examines the life of a scarecrow, who is completely unable to influence its surroundings. An interesting idea, making me wonder how a four-year-old would handle it.
Any Questions? Please Come and Ask!
After watching the trailer videos, I'm sure you are burning to find out more about this dedicated puppetry group. So please do not hesitate to join! Take a look at the event page, or go straight to the Zoom meeting on Sunday. As for the time, we've finally completed the switch back from Daylight Savings, wherever it is observed, so in other words we're back to normal (10:30 a.m. Central, 5:30 p.m. Europe). Places like Colombia, which don't participate in this, changed their time zones, so there our conference is starting at 11:30. If you are really excited, I recommend you to check out the group's social media pages. I hope to see lots of you on Sunday!