Kneehigh Puppets: In the Adelaide City region of South Australia
One sure-fire way to attract the public's attention is to think big. And Kneehigh do just that. At the Fluviafest on the banks of the Murray at Berri the Kneehigh crew along with Riverland artists certainly turned up the heat with an amazing showcase of pyrotechnic puppetry.
And the damage caused by the curse of the River, the European Carp, will definitely live long in the memories of those who saw the spectacle back in 1999.
Kneehigh is an Adelaide based international touring company but to understand the inner workings of the team you need to visit its Stepney workshop.
“This is our workshop where we build all our giant puppets. They really are giants. When people ask me what I do for a living and I say I build giant puppets. I then normally get out our brochure and show that we are talking really big.”
Like Contrary Mary, the elder ‘statespuppet’ of the Kneehigh family, created by Emma O'Neill:
“She's inspired by basically Grandma guilt on my part for not being a good Grand daughter prior to my Grandmother's death I guess.”
She's a celebration of old age and much that's been discarded.
“This is the little bubble wrap that kids just love to keep popping. Her hands and face are car-washing foam. I use that to get a feeling of pock marked and aging.”
The whole structure, which is three metres high, is supported by a backpack and once you feel comfortable enough it's just a matter of slipping into character.
“Hello little children. You need to be a good boy Jeffrey.”
“You're a bit of a natural…”
But nowhere near as adept as the gang at Kneehigh. The name? Well, that's about the height these puppeteers step up to when they begin their performances. We caught up with one at a park just down the road from Norwood Primary School. Here the puppets in the "Family from Away" were turning heads as they amplified the anxieties and fears of a refugee family living in the transparent bubble of ongoing media attention.
“When we're in the street the size forces people to pay attention to us and then we can tell the story. And the advantage of our work is that we can involve the audience in the story because there's nothing to separate you and you usually can't run away.”
As many in Rundle Mall will attest, having encountered the Android Sisters. These gals are an eye catching quartet who sometimes operate in unison and sometimes take off on their own to meet the locals and maybe eavesdrop on a telephone conversation or two.
The Kneehigh Puppets are available for all kinds of events and spectacles and can be contacted on 8363 7055 or mail info@postcards-sa.com.au
