Puppetry Insight: Spellbound

29th March 2010

SPELLBOUND – INNOVATION AND MAGIC

The puppets in Spellbound are what are known as Sicilian marionettes. This particular type of marionette is characterised by a metal rod that comes out of the carved wooden head of the puppet up to the control above.

If you have a look around the Spare Parts foyer museum you will see quite a few different designs of these marionettes. This metal rod allows for greater control of head movements but limits its flexibility up and down.

The Spellbound puppeteers manipulate these marionettes not in the traditional way, from the control above the head, but in a bunraku style.

This means that the puppeteers will be manipulating the body of the puppet from behind using concealed controls on the marionettes. It will give the appearance that the marionettes magically coming to life and are under a spell!

The essence of the Japanese Bunraku style is that 3 puppeteers manipulate each puppet. The term Dezukai is used to describe the practice of each puppet being manipulated by a trio of puppeteers. The puppeteers in Bunraku style theatre are in full view of the audience. Dezukai was first introduced in 1793 as major innovation for puppetry on the stage and this practice has never changed

This combination in Spellbound of marionette, bunraku and black theatre is very unique and possibly is the first production in Australia to combine these puppetry forms.