Puppetry Perspectives
A show devised with fellow students at RWCMD in response to a viewing of the work of filmmaker Beatriz Santiago Muñoz at the Artists Mundi in Cardiff 2021.
In the ruins of an abandoned archive, the curator nurtures a menagerie of birds.
I created 6 bird puppets (and one worm) each time experimenting with a different approach to puppet making; experimenting with scale, fabrication and finish.
Puppets made and performed by James Jones Morris
devised with Jasmine Veiga De Araujo and Eve Willson.
Music by Charlie Jenkins
Directed by Lucy Hall and Marc Parot
2021 Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
the egg
Directly referencing Muñoz’s work and her creation of malasocpios (small glass and mirror objects placed in the beam of the projector to distort the image in unexpected ways) I wanted to start the bird show with an egg. Made from layers of perspex glued together and then shaped on the lathe.
nesting
The first true puppet seen in the show, I wanted it to be a moment of emerging as well as encouraging observation. so for this puppet I focused on giving her eyes that can open, as well as being able to move her head to look around. In the show I give her the egg to look after.
the worm
A really simple and tiny puppet, taking delight in the movement of the material it is made of - a thin strip of leather. the worm is very movable and able to perform summersaults!
chicks
Two hungry babies, the box they are in opens and they emerge a little like a jack in a box. Simple mechanism at the back to give them a little movement. Unfortunately for the worm, this is where they end up…
first flight
exploring flight in puppetry.