Pernille and Mr Nelson

Mr Nelson was a Norwegian-American braggart while Pernille was a "sensible" character with whom the children were meant to identify. Tangen used the difference in voices to separate the characters from each other. 

Anne M. Helgesen writes that Lauritz Johnson, the head of NRK’s children’s division (and also a presenter), was inspired by a trip to Swedish Radio’s television division, where he had seen a presenter play two glove puppets. He asked Ragne Tangen to do the same, but she hesitated as she had no experience in performing with glove puppets. Her introduction to the techniques of puppetry came via Jane and Agnar Mykle’s book Dukketeater! ("Puppetry!", published in1954. (Anne Helgesen, 2003: 238,239).

SOURCES:
Helgesen, Anne: Descriptions for the TV puppet exhibition "Alle tiders barndomshelter" ("Childhood heroes through the generations"), Slottsfjellsmuseet/Figurfestspillene, 19–28 January 2024.

Helgesen, Anne: Animasjonen – Figurteatrets velsignelse og forbannelse. Norsk figurteaterhistorie ("Animation – a blessing and a curse for puppetry: A history of Norwegian puppetry"), PhD dissertation in Theatre Studies, Oslo University 2003.

Ownership: NRK/On loan from Jesper Egemar.

Transmitted to Sceneweb: 24.01.2024.

Ragne Tangen’s route to the glove puppets was via Jane and Agnar Mykle’s book Dukketeater! (“Puppetry”). It is therefore most likely that the figures’ heads were formed of clay and then cast (in the clay moulds) with newspaper and glue. This is a classic way to make heads for glove puppets and the method is described in detail in the aforementioned book. (See also the puppets Pompel and Pilt in this gallery.)

Pernille was “girly” and wore a dress. She had long, fair hair tied up in a ponytail. It seems that Pernille was modelled on a traditional girls’ doll from the 1960s. The puppet’s underclothes were made to fit the puppeteer’s hand (as per the instructions in the Mykles’ book).

Mr Nelson, constructed in the same way as Pernille, was more characterful. He was more characterful and wore a checked cap and sunglasses, a jacket and trousers.

The above description is based on photographs. 

The puppets, and especially the underclothes, were made to fit the puppeteer’s hand (Ragne Tangen played both characters). This is necessary in order to make precise movements. It is difficult for a puppeteer to control a glove puppet that does not sit well on the hand.

The above description is based on photographs. 

Helgesen writes that Tangen wanted to preserve the illusion that the puppets lived in their own world. After just two programmes in which she was visible as a puppeteer, she was given a traditional stage that enabled her to be hidden. 

It was important that the programmes about Pernille and Mr Nelson should not be frightening. They had to follow the guidelines of the time for children’s culture. Tangen received some comments from adults who reported that their children were scared of Mr Nelson (Anne Helgesen, 2003: 239).  

From 1961 to 1972, the programmes were made in black and white, but in 1988 a colour version was created.