Puppets bring joy. They make you feel, even more than they make you think. So do the puppeteers, particularly those who have made it their goal to avoid the cerebral bend of so much of modern theater.

I met a whole bunch of them, a collective of 7 passionate, devoted, talented young people who are in town to perform their puppet show about Chilean miners. In conversation they talk about their disenchantment with too much technology and their interest in the relationship between man and nature, with a focus on how capitalistic extraction of resources damages both, people and land.

The troupe devised their play some 6 years ago, based on a novella El Chiflón del Diablo by one of Chile’s foremost authors, Baldomero Lillo, a son of miners himself. To get a sense of the people affected by the dangers of coal mining, of the silence that rules those communities within and outside of the mines, they spent 6 month in Lota, site of the last active coal mine in Chile, now closed. Talk about dedicated field research.

The puppets are made of paper and glue, with only hints at facial features, and an astounding arsenal of micro-movements. They are plain, and silent, the perfect projection screen for the interpretation of the viewers who all seem to see themselves reflected in the narrative, according to the puppeteers’ reports. They transcend cultural and language and age borders by linking directly to emotions; I certainly found myself reacting to these small personages with a sense of wonder, and that was not even within the play. I was just sitting next to a gifted puppeteer, Felipe, who held his puppet for the time of the Q&A with a lively audience at the Central Library (and who owns one of the most infectious laughs I’ve come across in a long time.) Photographing his creation felt like photographing a living thing – I can think of no better compliment for this company.

Well, maybe I can. I can compliment them for having found a cause, of having found an artistic voice, of having found a medium that matches their ideals, in an environment that is surely not easy for young theatre collectives. Can’t wait to see the play. For those of you who did not act on my earlier recommendations – alas, the performances are sold out.

And here are the players:

Dominga, one of the founders of the company, on the left, and Astrid, who recently joined after finishing her degree in theatre studies.

Felipe, with the company since its founding, also involved in the creation of their upcoming play about fishermen.

Antonio, actor, singer, sound engineer combined…

Consuelo and Rodolfo, if my recall still works – sorry if I mess up the names!  She carried the single trunk that holds their entire company of puppets….

 

Santiago, founder and artistic director of the company. He wants to connect to the heart, but he does have a smart head – the political themes are just delivered in silence, not with endless chatter.

 

Restless Ruth – never resting until she gets the next act to town……