International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK) 2014: A state sponsored experiment with hits and misses

Deepa Punjani

HILUM (France)

Director: Patrick Sims

Company: Les Antliaclastes


	HILUM

It's a pity that puppet theatre has never quite achieved the high pedestal given to drama because it is somehow seen as a lesser form of theatre, or even as theatre meant only for children! And, that is such a mistake. Puppet theatre is not only a highly developed form of theatre but it can equally contain the qualities of good drama. In terms of sheer technique and imagination, it can also exceed the more familiar theatre that we are used to and can be very adult. Patrick Sims and his company set shop in a garage on the grounds of the Kerala Sangeetha Natak Akademi for the duration of the festival. Their puppet-mask theatre piece HILUM was clearly one of the highlights of the festival. The creators describe their show as a 'micro comic-tragedy based on the cycles of the washing machine...(in which) prenatal rascals amuse themselves.' I saw it as a playful and ingenious take on creation in which a variety of creatures interact and are subject to the cycles of a washing machine that is symbolic of an incubator. The puppeteers dressed as washerwomen lead this intriguing show that has a primordial quality to it. The puppets are superbly crafted and executed; the stage design is brilliant and the lights and music combined add character to the show. The garage in which the play took place was densely packed with the apparatus required for the show but nothing was out of place or clumsy. In spite of the washerwomen attire, the puppeteers are big men who lead the show, and yet they never overshadow the puppets. The dexterity and craftsmanship - both are admirable.

Visit: http://vimeo.com/10344109

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International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK) 2014: A state sponsored experiment with hits and misses

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