Mirror mirror on the wall.......touring 2014

Mirror mirror on the wall who is the most beautiful of us all?

 Forget this it is non of you!

Dear All

Yes this is certainly part of Snowwhite and the seven Dwarfs one of the two fairy tales that tour New Zealand and overseas in 2014. Thank you very much for the response and it will be truly a Bluff to Kaitaia Tour over the year. In March we start in Southland and at the end of November you will find us in Kaitaia.

In between it is Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Napier, Hastings, Rotorua, Hamilton, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Auckland and not to mention all the smaller towns, villages and communities. Thank you so much, we all look forward to this tour, even the guys in the photo. Though who would worry about them, looks like the three stooges.......

So from March April you will get some touring news and feedback. Cheers and see you soon!

marionette control - not only for the specialist

You Google it and do some research in libraries and soon you find that there are many many ways to string a Marionette. It is certainly a very important part in its creation! The first video shows you my basic control from which I try and change and adapt it to what I need for a particular show or Marionette. One of the additional problems for me is that performing solo you should be able to operate it with one hand. Wait are you one handed? No, having one Marionette on stage is not enough for a good show.... most of the time.

Most of my controls are made of Beech wood, Kauri or Matai. Reads fussy, but the feel of the wood in your hand and the technical qualities it needs for a good operation is important. Pine just does not feel right.

The dimensions you can get from me holding it. I suppose having learnt with a very similar control it might be just what you are used to you might think. Though having two Marionettes in your hands most of the time they both want action. This control facilitated all this very well. Over the years I adapted it to my trick marionettes as well as my animals. Put the base form horizontal and it opens up many possibilities.

For my seven Dwarfs I created a control that gives me three groups of Dwarfs. They all fit together and march in seven at the time. Pretty impressive for the audience.

Should you have any questions just write a comment.  Thanks

 Here you can see the 10mm dowel extending out for the nose string, lifts the head to look up.

This is the control I use for the trick marionette in an earlier blog. Double strings in parts and not easy to operate.

Touring 2014 and happy memories

Thanks for all the returns so far, it shows up to become an exciting touring year. My last visit to a lot of parts of Aotearoa is well remembered. Certainly gives me a nice feeling about the work done over the years. The Marionettes and myself are very much looking forward to visiting the length and breadth of our lovely pacific country.

Memories

Waitiangi Day!!!! And listing to the programme on National Radio made me think of 1990. Strings Attached was one of the invited groups to performer at Waitangi for the 150 year celebrations. Staying up there and witnessing those days was a memory I will not forget. The Bay was filled with large sailing ships from around the world and wakas were going to and fro. For me as a new New Zealander then it was like a time warp. It was glimpse into the past and a promise to the future. The show I did was Mustava and the Moon for the ongoing programme in the visitor’s centre of the Waitangi grounds. For certain an event and experience I will not forget.