Good people, the fine folks at the Ontario Arts Council have graced puppeteer Aleksandra Bragoszewska with an opportunity to evolve! To redefine smashing! To stretch beyond the confines of the (almighty) staple plier! To imagine a shadow puppet that is mightier in construction than rusted screen rubber tied to a broken up umbrella! Imagine what might happen if you stuck a willing puppeteer into the basement laboratory of Ayususa Puppet Theatre in Athens Greece, with master builder and puppeteer Stathis Markopoulos and puppet and otherwise theatre prince Kostadis Mizaras! The gallery describes in photos some of the work that happened over the big water in January 2017. Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council and the National and International Residency Program. Thank you to Kristine White for the photography. Efharisto para poli Ayusaya Puppet theatre, Stathis and Kostadis, and to Athens.

notes from shadow puppetry construction residency in Athens

three studies on water

gears and paper cuts

turning the crank below the platform turns the gears, gears pull the leather belts, paper cut waves can be fastened to the leather belts and you have two rings of water, pouring into each other

metal marionette with lead weight

building the block marionette

study of metal plate and leather knee joints

kostadis mizaras

provoked deep philosophical discussion over choices in dramaturgy when crafting abstract-loving shadow realms. translating, from English to Greek to English, from New World to Old World also schooled us.

Zephyr

poet and rambler, he's the marionette accordionist who performed for years in the Streets of London with Stathis. Stathis plays harmonica for him. they're an impressive act.