A New Approach to African Puppetry
by Kim Gurney
Adrian Kohler, co-founder of the Handspring Puppet Company, has come full circle since he fortuitously spotted a West African puppet in a Johannesburg shop 25 years ago. The purchase of that particular puppet helped launch Handspring in 1981. But it also triggered a deep curiosity about African puppetry that has led to Kohler's latest project - collaboration with leading Mali puppeteer, Yaya Coulibaly.
Speaking at the Michaelis lunchtime lecture series in Cape Town earlier this month, Kohler said the idea was to produce a hybrid theatre production. It should be ready for a Grahamstown Festival premiere in June next year. The theme is the influence of Africa on Europe, shown through an historical tale of the gift of a giraffe in 1826 by an Egyptian sultan to a French king. It therefore carries the provisional title, Zarafa (meaning "giraffe").
Kohler said that Handspring puppets borrow from a number of traditions - particularly Japanese - that work in a very naturalistic albeit stylised way. Coulibaly, on the other hand, works in the Bambara African tradition where naturalism is not very important and character is instead shown through very strong abstractions.
The collaboration aims to merge the best of these two traditions. According to Kohler, both parties will benefit - the Mali puppetry tradition can break free from its ethnographical mode, while the Handspring puppets can benefit from the dramatic effects of some of the Mali creations.
However, Kohler was also candid about the problems involved. He pointed out that although the project was exciting, it was also highly problematic. The main conflict concerned the style of movement. Kohler said: "Bambara has a wonderful dynamism in certain movements but in others - the rod figures in particular - the movement is rather stiff. The challenge is to use both the dynamism of the very large figures and the more subtle and gestural style."
He added: "It is a dream come true... but how are we to marry the two worlds? The style of performance is also very different so we are working on solutions."
Movement was indeed emphasized time and again during Kohler's lecture as a central concern in puppet-making. He said: "Working out how the figures are going to move has always been extremely important for each production." His point was reiterated by animated puppet demonstrations - that drew much applause and appreciative laughter from the audience - and video footage, which peppered his presentation.
Judging from his multitude of previous successful collaborations, Zarafa is bound to be another engaging production. And if Kohler has his way, it will also mark the start of a whole new circle of more such collaborative work to come.
For further details of the next lecture, check our listing page or contact Lisa Essex at Michaelis on Tel: 021. 480-7111 or Email:
