Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance that involves the
manipulation of puppets â€" inanimate objects, often resembling some
type of person or animal figure, that are animated or manipulated by a
human called a puppeteer. Such a performance is also known as a puppet
production. The script for a puppet production is called a puppet
play. Puppeteers use movements from hands and arms to control devices
such as rods or strings to move the body, head, limbs, and in some
cases the mouth and eyes of the puppet. The puppeteer sometimes speaks
in the voice of the character of the puppet, while at other times they
perform to a recorded soundtrack.There are many different varieties of
puppets, and they are made of a wide range of materials, depending on
their form and intended use. They can be extremely complex or very
simple in their construction. The simplest puppets are finger puppets,
which are tiny puppets that fit onto a single finger, and sock
puppets, which are formed from a sock and operated by inserting one's
hand inside the sock, with the opening and closing of the hand
simulating the movement of the puppet's "mouth". A hand puppet or
glove puppet is controlled by one hand which occupies the interior of
the puppet and moves the puppet around. Punch and Judy puppets are
familiar examples. Other hand or glove puppets are larger and require
two puppeteers for each puppet. Japanese Bunraku puppets are an
example of this. Marionettes are suspended and controlled by a number
of strings, plus sometimes a central rod attached to a control bar
held from above by the puppeteer. Rod puppets are made from a head
attached to a central rod. Over the rod is a body form with arms
attached controlled by separate rods. They have more movement
possibilities as a consequence than a simple hand or glove
puppet.Puppetry is a very ancient form of theatre which was first
recorded in the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece. Some forms of
puppetry may have originated as long ago as 3000 years BC. Puppetry
takes many forms, but they all share the process of animating
inanimate performing objects to tell a story. Puppetry occurs in
almost all human societies where puppets are used for the purpose of
entertainment through performance, as sacred objects in rituals, as
symbolic effigies in celebrations such as carnivals, and as a catalyst
for social and psychological change in transformative arts.Puppetry is
a very ancient art form, thought to have originated about 4000 years
ago. Puppets have been used since the earliest times to animate and
communicate the ideas and needs of human societies. Some historians
claim that they pre-date actors in theatre. There is evidence that
they were used in Egypt as early as 2000 BCE 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.
Puppetry was practiced in ancient Greece and the oldest written
records of puppetry can be found in the works of Herodotus and
Xenophon, dating from the 5th century BCE.
manipulation of puppets â€" inanimate objects, often resembling some
type of person or animal figure, that are animated or manipulated by a
human called a puppeteer. Such a performance is also known as a puppet
production. The script for a puppet production is called a puppet
play. Puppeteers use movements from hands and arms to control devices
such as rods or strings to move the body, head, limbs, and in some
cases the mouth and eyes of the puppet. The puppeteer sometimes speaks
in the voice of the character of the puppet, while at other times they
perform to a recorded soundtrack.There are many different varieties of
puppets, and they are made of a wide range of materials, depending on
their form and intended use. They can be extremely complex or very
simple in their construction. The simplest puppets are finger puppets,
which are tiny puppets that fit onto a single finger, and sock
puppets, which are formed from a sock and operated by inserting one's
hand inside the sock, with the opening and closing of the hand
simulating the movement of the puppet's "mouth". A hand puppet or
glove puppet is controlled by one hand which occupies the interior of
the puppet and moves the puppet around. Punch and Judy puppets are
familiar examples. Other hand or glove puppets are larger and require
two puppeteers for each puppet. Japanese Bunraku puppets are an
example of this. Marionettes are suspended and controlled by a number
of strings, plus sometimes a central rod attached to a control bar
held from above by the puppeteer. Rod puppets are made from a head
attached to a central rod. Over the rod is a body form with arms
attached controlled by separate rods. They have more movement
possibilities as a consequence than a simple hand or glove
puppet.Puppetry is a very ancient form of theatre which was first
recorded in the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece. Some forms of
puppetry may have originated as long ago as 3000 years BC. Puppetry
takes many forms, but they all share the process of animating
inanimate performing objects to tell a story. Puppetry occurs in
almost all human societies where puppets are used for the purpose of
entertainment through performance, as sacred objects in rituals, as
symbolic effigies in celebrations such as carnivals, and as a catalyst
for social and psychological change in transformative arts.Puppetry is
a very ancient art form, thought to have originated about 4000 years
ago. Puppets have been used since the earliest times to animate and
communicate the ideas and needs of human societies. Some historians
claim that they pre-date actors in theatre. There is evidence that
they were used in Egypt as early as 2000 BCE 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.
Puppetry was practiced in ancient Greece and the oldest written
records of puppetry can be found in the works of Herodotus and
Xenophon, dating from the 5th century BCE.
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