“They can be gods, idiots, or worms. They are able to nurture children or terrify adults. They survive indefinitely without normal biological aging but also can die and come back to life again and again.” — Eileen Blumenthal
They are puppets, and according to Eileen Blumenthal, author of Puppetry: A World History, they have existed in one form or another in nearly every culture throughout human history. Last Saturday evening, Adrienne and I witnessed how one puppet can reflect the struggle of an entire people.
Silencio Blanco is a seven-artist theater company from Chile that uses silent, colorless puppets to give voice to the voiceless. The show we saw was entitled, “Pescador,” and was dedicated to the lives of Chilean fishermen who face nature’s overwhelming power while navigating a lonely existence to support those they love. Independent, or artisanal, fishermen’s access to fish in the sea has been curtailed in the last 20 years by government laws and corporate influence. The tender manipulation of the pescador puppet crafted a narrative that movingly depicted the beauty and struggle of a fisherman’s labor.
Despite seven puppeteers on stage, Adrienne and I could not take our eyes off the puppet. Afterwards, audience members were invited onto the stage to interact with the puppet and ask questions. Click on the “Pescador” link above to access a very short “teaser” video about the 50-minute installation. It’s completely fascinating — and convicting — to see how puppets have the power to teach us who we are.
The Pescador link is amazing. The music is beautiful. I felt sad watching the puppet. It was very moving watching the puppet look above at the seagulls flying. I kept watching the puppet, too, hoping that he wouldn’t look so sad. I’m going to go watch the trailer again. Thank you for the wonderful post, Sharie. xoxoxo
Thank you, Merrie Lee. Thanks, too, for watching the video which, as moving as it is, does not capture the intimacy of the experience. When the fisherman sneezed, it really looked like he had sneezed! Same when he coughed. And the storm! The puppeteers — all dressed in black except for their faces and hands — were the ocean. And the sound effects were spot on, too.
Adrienne was completely fascinated with the mechanism that manipulated those birds and spent some time talking with one of the puppeteers about it. He did not speak much English, but appreciated Adrienne’s curiosity.
To read about the performance and watch the video does not do this justice.
The room was filled with fog to replicate the sea, along with the sounds of birds and the water, which immediately set the mood. The puppet is made out of newspaper, glue, and tape, but its movements were so realistic. We had such empathy for the puppet that it surprised us when we were talking about it afterwards.
As for the birds, the mechanism was so intricate. I was trying to communicate with one of the puppeteers that the flapping of the wings replicated the sound of real birds. I’m not sure if it was their intent, but it made it even more realistic for me.
The piece was approximately 50 minutes long, but it seemed shorter because everyone was so caught up in the fisherman’s adventure. We really lost ourselves in the story.
This group also volunteered its time teaching local children how to build puppets. Many of the children were attending the performance the following day with their families. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if even just one child chose this as a career path?
Adrienne — I’m so grateful you posted more details about the performance. And yes, it would be wonderful if even just one child chose puppetry as a career path. Thanks for this insightful comment.
Wow, just WOW! Thanks for sharing your experience and the powerful brief video link. You all have a gift for sleuthing out special one-of-a-kind experiences in the arts. Thank you for sharing them!
Thrilled that you loved it, Beth. And I must give credit where credit is due — Adrienne is the one who sleuths out most of these one-of-a-kind art experiences. I’ve learned so much about the visual arts from her.
This is so amazing. When I think of the HOURS and HOURS of labor that must have gone into making this, it feels overwhelming, just like life must feel to that little pescador! It’s humbling to be introduced to such talent and dedication. What an amazing experience it must have been to see that show with that little fisherman. At the end of the teaser, the weight of his sorrow is so powerful! Would that the entities that are making his life so difficult would all watch this performance.
Thanks much for your generous comment, Carol. It was indeed an amazing experience.
By the way, the very last sound you hear as you watch this exhausted pescador collapse on the pier is that of a large corporate tanker — one of the entities making this fisherman’s life so difficult.