Puppetry in Motion

A baby strides determinedly across stage, the actors moving it in plain sight. The tentacles of a giant squid grab a sailor, its huge eye gazing through the submarine’s porthole. A terrified pig tells a graphic tale of terror, simultaneously ridiculous and bloody – all in silhouette. Why do these moments work? How can inanimate objects evoke as much emotion, whether hilarity or sorrow, as their human counterparts? Why has this ancient form maintained a grip on the human imagination? Lookingglass is one of many Chicago theaters that uses puppetry as part of our storytelling vocabulary. A conversation with masters of the form: Sarah Fornace, Manual Cinema co-founder Kasey Foster, Lookingglass Ensemble Member Blair Thomas, Blair Thomas & Co., Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival