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technical background

Henk van Gelder NRC: "Een miraculeus poppenspeler wiens handen eersteklas-acteurs zijn."

Punch & Judy in Afghanistan

VAMPYR

SCHICKLGRUBER alias Adolf Hitler

RE: FRANKENSTEIN

MOLIËRE

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A production of Stuffed Puppet Theatre with Linz2009 and FiDeNa

"Punch & Judy in Afghanistan" was first performed during the FiDeNa-festival in Bochum and will come to Linz on 20 & 21 november

In Germany they call it Kasperl & Gretl, in the Netherlands Jan Klaassen & Katrijn, in France Guignol and in England Punch and Judy. Neville Tranter preserves the fun and directness of Punch & Judy-plays while exploring a more profound theme: what happens when naivité and cynicism meet?

Nigel, a puppeteer, has come to Afghanistan to entertain the allied troops.
His assistant, Emile, wants to make a sightseeing trip on top of a camel. The flashlight of Nigel's camera scares the camel, who runs off in panic with Emile still on its back. They have disappeared in the direction of Tora Bora.

Nigel tries to find his assistant. This search brings him to Tora Bora, where het meets Punch Bin Laden. Nigel finds himself in extreme danger but survives and finds out what has happened to Emile.

Besides the naive Nigel we meet the heartless television reporter, who is only interested in scoops, and the nervous UN-soldier, who is completely out of place in these rough regions.

The westerners are portrayed as unadapted to the harshness of Afghanistan.
Punch Bin Laden and his bloodthirsty wife, Judy, seem to be in complete control of the situation. They amuse themselves with playing cat and mouse with Nigel. But had they ever counted on someone escaping them to tell his story in Kabul???

“Punch & Judy in Afghanistan” takes about 40 minutes (Punch & Judy-plays rarely are longer) and it is played behind and in front of a sort of traditional puppet theatre booth. It can be played in almost every (small) space, because technical requirements are minimal.
For the first time Neville Tranter now has a show, which he can take with him in 2 big suitcases and without need for technicians. Don't worry, Cuniculus, Vampyr, Moliere and Schicklgruber remain on repertoire.

for photos go to stuffedpuppet.nl/documents.html > Punch & Judy in Afghanistan
fotosPunch&Judy1.doc
fotospunch&judy2.doc

Pressequoten über “Punch & Judy in Afghanistan”

....Zwar bleibt Tranter einerseits traditionell mit seinen Anleihen an alte Charaktere, auch sein Bühnenbild mit der Schlichten Wand, hinter der die Klappmaulpuppen auftauchen, hat man schon gesehen, aber wie er Zeitgeschehen verarbeitet, ist gross. .... Beeindruckend ist, wie Tranter umschaltet: Eben noch der verunsicherte Nigel, dan leiht er wieder einer Puppe seine Stimme. Sein Kulturclash ist oft lustig, aber noch viel öfter beängstigend und gruselig. Bei ihm kommt keine Seite gut weg, die Botschaft ist klar: Hier prallen Welten aufeinander, die einfach nicht dieselbe Sprache sprechen. ...

Alexandra Schröder, MAINZER RHEIN-ZEITUNG
3/9/09

... Kasperle kann auch anders, wie Theatermagier Neville Tranter mit “Punch & Judy in Afghanistan” einem begeisterten Publikum zeigte. ....Sicher ist: Tranter schafft es sein Publikum gleichzeitig zum Lachen und zum Nachdenken zu bringen. Zum achten Mal ist der gebürtige Australier bei “No Strings Attached dabei”. Die Vorfreude auf das neunte Mal ist schon jetzt gross.

Susanne Andriessens, ALGEMEINE ZEITUNG MAINZ
3/9/09

...Tranters Figuren beeindrucken mit kantig geschittenen Zügen und treffenden Characterisierungen im unbewegten Gesicht. Die Augen, gross und gierig starrend oder klein und sinnlich glitzernd, wirken wie die Momentaufnahmen lebender seelen, die Klappmaultechnik erlaubt die mimische Betonung der grossspurigen Typen. ...

Jürgen Richter, FRANKFURTER ALGEMEINE ZEITUNG
8/9/09

English spoken

concept, puppets and play NEVILLE TRANTER
special thanks to Tim Velraeds, his suggestions have hugely helped in creating this piece

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