Puppentheatersammlung: Walk right in

Walk right in – children’s tickets at half price! The afterplay attraction of the puppeteers

Please walk right in and open your eyes: amazing things happen right in the puppet theatre arena! What is impossible for the people is successfully performed by the puppets: marionettes transform at lightning speed, decay, change their sizes and float in space. They are on a tightrope without any protection, juggle without ever letting go of a ball or jump through a hoop without gravity or other physical laws interfering. All that happens, until the string breaks!

Exhibition Site Jägerhof

DATES 09/05/2015—28/02/2016

Already in the 18th century, Italian doll makers introduced special puppets that outclassed in their movements all humans. They called them “fantocci”, which means little children, because these dolls were only half the size of other marionettes. In France, these puppets were called “metamorphosis” because of their changeability. Here in Saxony, the so-called “Fantoschen” belonged to every better theatre and were the proud of their owners. Between 1807 and 1809, Heinrich von Kleist saw this marionette art of the finest rank in Dresden. In his essay “On the Marionette Theatre”, he literary created a lasting monument for the puppet theatre of Lorgie and his virtuously guided dancing couples. These dancers are counted among the oldest objects of the collection and are the old stars of the exhibition.

More movable are the younger representatives of the genre. In the 19th century, especially, at the high time of Equestrian Art and of Circus, the puppeteers were inspired to perform a more elaborate afterplay. Some of them also gave guest performances in some of the newly opening vaudeville theatres or created their own “vaudeville on the string”. Until the 1960s, Eugen Singldinger travelled with his large theatre tent across the funfairs of Central Germany and presented his hoop dancers, musicians, jugglers, tamers and weight lifters. Even today, the great art of the small marionette has not disappeared. Films show the small artists in action.

In a circus-like atmosphere, historical marionettes from almost two hundred years are presented alongside real and false automatic machines, mechanic artefacts and fairground rides in miniature.

Not only will the eyes be wide open, but the mouths as well! Walk right in!!!

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