Applied Puppetry: The Theory and Practice of Object Ecologies

(Hardback)

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Description

Drawing on thirty years of making theatre with objects, this field-defining book maps the terrain of applied puppetry. Through a range of case studies both personal and practical, Matt Smith offers a reflective and engaging study which provides makers, thinkers and students alike with a toolkit for thinking about and making puppetry in community settings. Through eight chapters, Smith muses on the nature of creativity, explores approaches to puppetry through ecology, and considers how puppets and objects affect the act of making and in turn how they affect those who make, use and experience them in performance. Along the way, Applied Puppetry offers practical exercises in theatre-making, demonstrates the political power of puppetry beyond borders, and interrogates the limitations and possibilities of puppetry and object theatre in local communities, volatile contexts and difficult circumstances.

Reviews

Matt Smith offers an insiders guide to the world of applied puppetry challenging us to think with and play with a world of objects. This is vital reading for all those interested in learning about the arts applied within communities or across different contemporary issues and concerns. * James Thompson, University of Manchester, UK *
This is an eloquent, fascinating and timely book rooted in the authors varied and exciting journey in Applied Puppetry and Object Performance, from eco junk-puppetry with children to innovative and difficult work with asylum seekers in HMP Haslar. Essential reading for anyone interested in the myriad possibilities of puppetry. * Dr Adam Strickson, Visiting Research Fellow & PhD tutor, School of PCI (Performance and Cultural Industries), University of Leeds, UK *

Author Bio

Matt Smith is Reader in Applied Theatre and Puppetry at the University of Portsmouth, UK, prior to that having spent 20 years as a community artist. During this time, he worked with schools, youth groups, children in care, special needs groups, prisons, hospitals, environmental agencies and the homeless. He has published a number of journal articles on applied puppetry.