ShowBizRadio

Last Saturday night, the Puppet Company presented its sixth Playhouse Puppetry Slam! This entertaining event featured puppeteers from all over the East Coast, who presented puppet works in several styles.

This sold-out event was a lot of fun. Hosted by Michael Cotter, founder of the Blue Sky Puppet Theatre, the ninety minute event introduced several new puppeteers in their first public performances to experienced artists like Basil Twist and Carole D’Agostino.

A wide range of puppetry styles were presented. Kit Young and Eric Brooks performed a Burmese Marionette sketch “Royal Blood” which seemed to end abruptly. Marianne Ross’s cranky/scroll piece showing the history of medicine was a bit slow-paced, but brought chuckles from the audience as Ross commented on how the practice of medicine has changed over the years. Carole D’Agostino’s tabletop rod “Shape Shifter” wasn’t entirely successful as her rods were formed into shapes, although the butterfly and flying bird were well-done. David Greenfieldboyce shared a surprisingly funny bit with his Rod puppets in the story “A Bunny Shouldn’t Ever Have a Fox for a Pet.” It reminded me of an extended “Itchy and Scratchy” cartoon from the Simpsons. Julie and Barnaby Holmes told a love story using shadows and hand and rod puppets.

Carole D’Agostino wins the bravery award by creating a puppetry piece with only the objects audience members had with them and the audience-suggested concept of “elephants.” Her story of the elephant (formed out of two umbrellas) being scared by a mouse was well-received. David Greenfieldboyce returned with a new fable told via tabletop and rod marionettes, “Ruby Creek.” And to close out the evening was Basil Twist in an amazing marionette piece entitled “Stick Man.”

Before the show and between sketches the band The JFQ Quartet (Steve Long, Allan Bentovsky, David Martin and Eric Brooks) entertained the audience with a wonderful selection of jazz.

The next Puppetry Slam will be in the Fall. Don’t miss it!

Disclaimer: Puppet Co. Playhouse provided a complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.