puppetry

Daniel Sim
Courtesy of The Finger Players

The Maker’s Project: What does it take to sustain the puppeteer?

Defying the outcome-driven impulse that dominates our culture, Daniel Sim shares his vision of an ecosystem that supports the maker and the process, rather than only the product.  What would it look like if makers had the space and time to reflect, research and incubate outside of working on a production? What benefits would it […]

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OIWA – The Ghost of Yotsuya (4)_Courtesy of Arts House Limited
Arts House Limited

Podcast 92: Critics Live: OIWA by The Finger Players at SIFA 2021

Critics Alice Saville (UK), Amitha Amranand (TH), Matthew Lyon (SG) and Taisuke Shimanuki (JP) discuss OIWA: The Ghost of Yotsuya by The Finger Players, presented at Singapore International Festival of the Arts (SIFA). The performance took place from 28-30 May 2021 at Victoria Theatre, and from 5-20 June via video on demand. Critics Live! is

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OIWA – The Ghost of Yotsuya (2)_Courtesy of Arts House Limited
Courtesy of Arts House Limited

OIWA – The Ghost of Yotsuya: Primal story of love, or the failures of it

An epic set, an epic story, and epic four years of painstaking training is one way to describe The Finger Players’ OIWA – The Ghost of Yotsuya, an aching horror story that retells the classic tale of vengeance revolving around a jilted woman. Combining techniques of Kabuki, Bunraku and Ningyo Buri, as well as the

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(Episode 1) What’s in a Scene – 《大狗民》Citizen Dog by The Finger Players

In this episode, Liu Xiaoyi and Oliver Chong unpack a scene from The Finger Players 十指帮 ‘s 《大狗民》Citizen Dog and talk about the set design, costume design and more. Inspired by Liaozhai, Citizen Dog is an absurd tale of desires in their nightmarish glory, a surreal dreamscape that reflects real world problems. 《大狗民》Citizen Dog was staged in

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Kisah Pulau Pinang (Photo Credit – JohnK)-803
John K

Ombak Potehi’s “Kisah Pulau Pinang: The Penang Story”: A Slice of Malayan History

By Akanksha Raja (620 words, four-minute read) Ombak Potehi is Ombak Ombak Art Studio’s glove puppet theatre group established in 2015, consisting of young people – all under 30 – producing and performing puppet theatre, having been trained by experts from Penang’s Beng Geok Hong Puppet Troupe. To date, they’ve written and produced three works:

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AExGTF Chats: Prof Tan Sooi Beng of Ombak Potehi at George Town Festival

Potehi puppet theatre is a traditional Hokkien art form brought to Southeast Asia by immigrants from southern China several centuries ago. Despite originally being performed in Hokkien, potehi came to be performed in the different languages of the region, and is practised around Southeast Asia. Ombak Potehi is Ombak-Ombak ARTStudio’s glove puppet theatre group established

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Sneak a peek at an Australian-Indonesian crosscultural puppet theatre collaboration (via AsiaTOPA)

Cerita Anak (Child’s Story) takes pre-school children and their adults on a sea journey never to be forgotten. Cerita Anak (Child’s Story) is inspired by the seafaring history of Java, Indonesia, and a true tale of a small boy’s arrival in Australia. Cerita Anak places children at the heart of the story by inviting the

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Philippine folk stories set to take the stage during National Arts Month in February (via The Theatre Times)

In celebration of the National Arts Month in February 2017, the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) recuperates the kuwentong bayan (folk narratives such as epics, myths, legends, folk tales, etc.) as important repository of ideas, information and even knowledge through a festival billed Salaysayan: K’wentong Byan, Kaalamang Bayan (Storytelling: Folk Narratives, Folk Knowledge). Tags:

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The Enduring Power of Southeast Asia’s Traditional Shadow Puppets

For centuries, shadow puppet theater not only captivated audiences across Southeast Asia but also held ritual significance for various local communities. Held outdoors at night, the performances unfolded around the simple setup of a stretched white cloth, lit by an oil lamp, on which the shadows of puppets would dance to orchestral music. Spectators would watch from both

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