Cariad Astles (Unima)
This paper discusses the function of puppetry within selected rites of death and mourning, and how puppetry, in its ontological sense as an intermediary between worlds, is intrinsically linked to death and funerary rites. The paper will then discuss the implications of the recognition of death-in-life in both training and puppetry performance and consider how all puppetry, in some form, can be viewed in relation to narratives of death. I will discuss examples of the portrayal of death through puppetry in performance, and how puppeteers are invited to negotiate with spirit through the animation of bodies which are not-alive.
Part of V4-03 Race, Gender and Animacy in Object Performance, Thursday, October 12, 8:00 am–10:00 am