Bunraku puppets(43)
Most puppet types have developed over a long period of time, spreading to large parts of the world. They have followed human migration through millennia. Along the way, they have put down roots and developed different national and regional traits. The history of the theatre puppets is colourful and diverse, and it is also filled with contrasts and conflicts. In main, the theatre puppets in Europe have followed the development of theatre at large, but often in the shadow of it!
ARCHETYPES
There are four archetypes of theatre puppets: glove puppets, rod puppets, marionettes and shadow puppets. All of them have their characteristic visual expressions and physical characteristics, but also limitations.
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A fifth archetypes is the Japanese Bunraku puppets, still very much alive in the city of Osaka, where a national Bunraku theatre is located. Together, the five archetypes have contributed to the development of newer types of puppets, more or less related to their ancestors. These subcategories, hybrids, and mutations of the archetypes are here presented under the headline puppeteer and puppet(s) and other figures. The eight and last category is TV, video and movie puppets.
Archetypes and younger successors live side by side in our time and age. They make up a rich diversity of theatre puppets within performing arts. As the gallery is filled with more and different puppets, more information about them will be added.
BUNRAKU PUPPETS
Bunraku theatre[1] is the name of classic Japanese puppetry. In this old tradition, three experienced puppeteers give stage life to the puppet: One steers the puppet's head and left arm, one steers the puppet's right arm, and one steers its legs. For many centuries, the Bunraku tradition was a closed culture, continued by certain families. It must be added that Bunraku is among the most advanced acting techniques and conveyance forms within puppetry.
The simplified Bunraku puppets are mostly steered by one person. The puppeteer has a firm hold of the handle fastened to the back of the puppet's head - and so the play is on. The puppeteer's other hand adds to the acting, whether it is used for steering the puppet's arm, grabbing hold of an object, or embracing a person. The puppeteer holds/steers the puppet in front of his or her own body, and both are more or less visible, dependent of the artistic intention.
NOTES
[1]The name Bunraku stems from the puppeteer Bunrakken or Bunraku-ken from Awaiji, who towards the end of the 18th century saved the whole artform for the time to come through the beautiful performances he created. (Anna Greta Ståhle 1976: 97-98). Besides Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh theatre are the classic theatre forms in Japan.