Strings, Hands, Shadows: A Modern Puppet History - Softcover

Bell, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0895581566 ISBN 13: 9780895581563

Publisher: Wayne State University Press, 2000

Synopsis

The artistry of puppetry includes aspects of the visual arts, theatre, music, and dance. Puppets can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and are found today in cultures worldwide, across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. This work shows how puppets have been used to relay myths, poke fun at political figures, comment on cultural events of the period, express moral stories, and entertain adults and children alike. It gives a historical overview and looks at the wide variety of this traditional art form. From European and Asian puppets in modern and ancient times to the Puppet Modernism movements, this work explores the important innovators and innovations of puppetry. Brief biographies of key figures such as Tony Sarg (credited with creating the first over-life-size puppets used for parades), Paul McPharlin (creator of "Punch's Circus"), and Jim Henson (world-reknowned creator of many puppets, including the Muppets) help describe the evolution of puppetry.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wayne State University Press
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0895581566
• ISBN 13: 9780895581563
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 116