A look into the making, manipulation, magic and mysteries of an ancient and very contemporary artform: puppetry. Discovering the motivations of a seriously lighthearted community of extraordinary puppetry professionals.

SYNOPSIS

An opening quote (from John Wright, co-founder Little Angel Theatre) sets the tone for a seriously lighthearted film, ‘Untangling’ the ancient and contemporary art and craft of puppetry.

Entering hidden spaces of puppetry workshops and back stage puppet theatres, we discover how childhood impulses and early experiences, are the origins of lifetimes of exploration into the art and craft, for a group of dedicated professional practitioners - Lyndie Wright, Oliver Smart, Peter O’Rourke, John Roberts, Stan Middleton and Ronnie Le Drew. 

Answering questions of why, how and what puppetry is, the film untangles a variety of personal insights, philosophies and creative approaches, finding shared sensibilities, play and an insatiable joy of puppetry in all its forms.

Exploring materials, mechanisms, and making skills, as part of the creative process, we see the craft, in particular carving, flowing naturally from years of practice.

Operating a variety of puppet characters, we see performing expertise and pure fun! From marionettes, string, rod, glove, sock and shadow puppets to found object puppetry, we encounter the diversity of the art form, from famous characters (Muffin the Mule, Zippy, Sooty and Sweep) to the absurdly unexpected.

Aspects of staging puppetry are recounted, from timeless fairytales to touring, to the emotional investment required of an audience. Puppetry’s international reach, historical and ancient origins are touched on, showing how entangled this global and timeless artform is.

Untangling associations with Little Angel Theatre, we discover the close connections of this community of puppet makers and puppeteers. The origins of the theatre are revealed by co-founder Lyndie Wright.

Every contributor pinpoints the magic of puppetry, giving a broad take on its mystery and allure. The far reaching power of puppetry reflects its appeal lies in the mystical, and leaves us in no doubt that its future is assured.

Filmed and edited with an intimate curiosity by documentary filmmaker Hester Heeler- Frood, layered with a joyful and sensitive soundtrack, composed by sound artist Martin A.Parker. Produced and directed by puppetmaker, Frances Barry. The film is imbued with subject knowledge and personal interest, creating an authentic, artistic, seriously light hearted collaboration.