Puppets

A puppet is an inanimate object, usually but not necessarily a character, used in play or a presentation. There are many kinds of puppet and they are usually sculpted or modelled, sometimes simple in the extreme, and sometimes highly sophisticated artifacts. more...

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A puppet may be operated directly by a puppeteer, or indirectly - by the use of strings, for example, or by other mechanical contrivance or even remotely by electronic guidance. Puppets moved by strings are also known as marionettes (from the medieval Passion play figure attributed to Marion or the young Mary, the mother of Jesus). Puppets may also be animated by using stop motion animation.

A general distinction between a puppet and an automaton is the former is mostly operated live and the latter is mostly programmed (for example a coin-operated automata-show or piano-roll sideshow figure). during the 15th century puppets were called "lerthings"

History of the Puppet

Persian puppetry

There are two people involved in the performance: a musical performer and a person called morshed. The dialogue is between morshed and the puppets. The method of performance, its characters and the techniques used in writing the puppet show make it unique and distinguish it from other types of puppetry. Also, a new genre of Iranian puppetry emerged during Qajar era. Puppetry is still very common in Iran. Rostam and Sohrab puppet opera is an example of the most notable perfomance in modern day Iran.

Asian puppetry

Puppetry flourished in China, originally in pi-ying xi, the "theater of the lantern shadows", or, as it is more commonly known today, as Chinese shadow theater. In Taiwan, budaixi is prevalent.

Japan has many forms of puppetry. Perhaps the most internationally famous is the Bunraku, where the puppets are operated by three puppeteers in full view of the audience.

India, Java, and Thailand also have a strong tradition of puppetry. In Thailand, Hun Krabok, rod-puppet theater, is the most popular form of puppetry. In Vietnam exists mua roi nuoc, a water puppetry unique to Vietnam. In Java, wayang kulit, a form of shadow puppetry, is popular.

European puppetry

The roots of European puppetry grew from the commedia dell'arte tradition. Travelling performers who practiced this "low culture" art often performed in half-masks, or with puppets.

The strong Italian tradition of marionettes flourished in the 18th century, producing many skillful performances, including the tragedy Dr. Faust. Many of these marionettes survive to this day, and allow students of the art to marvel at their highly defined controls.

In the 19th Century, the marionettes of the master Pietro Radillo became even more complex. Instead of just the rod and two strings, Radillo's marionettes are controlled by as many as eight strings. The control over the individual body parts of the marionettes was greatly increased.

Read more at Wikipedia.org