PAPER MONKEY PUPPETRY MASTERCLASS 2023

Title of Programme: Object Puppetry

Dates: May - Aug, 10 weeks, Every Saturday, 10am - 2pm (subject to changes)

No. of classes: 10 sessions

First class: 27 May 2023

Last class: 5 Aug 2023

Venue of Masterclass: Paper Monkey Theatre, Goodman Arts Centre

Fee: $450 for 10 sessions

Early bird special: Register by 30 April 2023 for 20% off ($360)

About the Paper Monkey Puppetry Masterclass:

“Object puppetry is about the imagination, play and the power of breathing life into objects and
moving them as live characters. For example, I can animate a white candle as Snow White, and
a candle snuffer as the Hunter. A lantern can be the glass coffin.

It is a pity that many puppetry masters have passed. During the 60s & 70s, puppetry was at its
peak in Singapore. Today, people are surprised when they know that puppeteers still
exist...Paper Monkey feels the need to hold this Puppetry Masterclass so that we can pass on
not just the traditional, but also the form of modern technology of puppetry.”

- Benjamin Ho, Artistic Director of Paper Monkey Theatre

Paper Monkey Masterclass started from the urgent need to address the dwindling number of
puppeteers and artists who possess puppetry skill sets in Singapore, placing this art form at risk
of losing its relevance. The Masterclass seeks to provide foundational training of puppetry to
arts practitioners, with a focus on it as a core discipline. It hopes to sustain the relevance of
puppetry by inspiring more practitioners to develop a love and deep passion for it, to encourage
the production of more puppetry works thereafter, and for the future generations to gain access
to this art form.

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What can you achieve?

The Masterclass focuses on a specific form of puppetry every year. This year, we are launching
classes for ‘Object Puppetry’.

There is wondrous liberation in Object Puppetry play.

Any found object can become a puppet. Animators find the possibilities in movement, sound and
character for the object. A lightbulb becomes a “genius”, a ribbon becomes a “dancer”, a cane
becomes “authority”.

Though performances may use full stage, many performances are presented on a tabletop with
one narrator-manipulator presenting all the “object-characters” and with their own voice. The
metre space is transformed into the play’s entire universe.

As abstraction is already implicit in the choice of an object as living/talking/performing, the genre

invites the audience into non-literal thinking. Metaphor, humour, and poetic thinking are evoked
by the genre. A little red book becomes “Chairman Mao”, a miniature Statue of Liberty becomes
“President Nixon” and the two could meet to discuss world issues represented by a map of
continents with statistics. Performers may present with a simple set of objects in the open air
public space or within enclosed spaces which can host more elaborate designs which mix
objects, shadows, projections, lights and sound.

The Masterclass Participants will sit through 10 lessons with a mix of theory and practical
sessions that introduces its history, manipulation techniques, logic and skills of puppet building
and making, as well as movement planning. For a holistic learning experience, participants will
have a chance to practically apply their skills acquired during the masterclass through
participating in a Paper Monkey’s main season festival “No Strings Attached” happening in
December 2023 (subject to changes).

Participants will receive a separate agreement for their participation in a main festival showcase.

Outstanding participants will also be selected for apprenticeship with Paper Monkey for a year.

Requirements:

Interested applicants need not have experience in puppetry, however, should have at least 2
years of relevant performing arts or theatre training, as well as a deep passion for the
performing arts. Please still write-in to us if you do not have the aforementioned experience.

Interested applicants may email your CV & letter of interest to ([email protected]).

We will contact you shortly for an interview. A letter of agreement will be issued to masterclass
participants upon successful application. A total of 8 – 10 applicants will be selected to
participate in Masterclass 2023.

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 Application summary:

1 April 2023 Applications Open

5 May 2023 Applications Close
Interviews and Selection
12-19 May 2023 Successful applicants will be contacted by Masterclass Object
Puppetry

27 May 2023 Masterclass commences

Course Fee:

Fee: $450 for 10 sessions

Early bird special: Register by 30 April 2023 for 20% off ($360)

A $100 deposit will be paid before class commences and returned after it ends. If 100%
attendance is not fulfilled without valid reason for absence, the deposit will be forfeited.

About the instructor:

Benjamin Ho has a long history with the arts and puppetry. He was trained by the late Li Bo Fen,
China's acclaimed puppet artist. Besides his role as the Artistic Director of a children’s puppetry
company Paper Monkey Theatre, he is also currently the president of UNIMA SG (United Nation
of International Marionette Association). As an arts educator, Benjamin Ho created an avenue
where the young of today can understand and enjoy the rich cultures of Asia through puppetry.
He has shared his great love with local audiences through many productions with companies
such as TheatreWorks, The Theatre Practice, The Finger Players, Toy Factory Theatre
Ensemble, The Necessary Stage, W!ld Rice and Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Arts and
Cultural Troupe; and audiences abroad through participation of various puppetry festivals in Asia
and Europe. In 2017, his production – “The Magic Lantern” was awarded the Best Production
for the Young by 2017 M1-The Straits Times Life Theatre Award.

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Tentative programme outline and schedule:

Participants should be committed to making themselves available, particularly during the

Masterclass training period from Week 1 – 10. The number of classes (8 – 10 sessions) are
subject to changes based on the pace, progress and the needs of the participants.

1 27 May Introduction to Object Puppetry

2 10 Jun ● Three kinds

3 17 Jun

Object Puppet manipulation

4 24 Jun
● Hand stretches
5 1 Jul ● Discovering objects
● Basic Object Puppetry
manipulation techniques Masterclass –
Compulsory
6 8 Jul

7 15 Jul

8 22 Jul
Designing and building puppets

Story-telling with the puppets

9 29 Jul

10 5 Aug

(Note: 3 Jun no class as it is Vesak Day public holiday)

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 More about Object Puppetry:

There are three kinds of Object Puppetry.

1) Iconic - the object resembles the character

For example, a sponge has physical resemblance to a sheep’s wool and can be designed and
manipulated to look like, and to play the sheep character.

Participants are invited to return to childhood play to find the “movement” implicit in the object.
The ease of improvisation points toward one of the roots of this practice: the toy/ object is
already a puppet. This is related to “toy theatre”. Toy figures like the iconic American “Barbie”
doll have been deconstructed onstage to discuss the objectification of women. In some cases,
the object may be used literally - for example, a policeman’s baton is designed for use as an
image of power and force.

2) Symbolic - the object retains its own physical properties and appearance, but takes on
characteristics of the character through animation
Participants are invited to find the movement in the untransformed object and construct
characters from the inherent animation possibilities of the object. Kitchen utensils could be used
to tell folk tales of Asia. A pink feather duster could evoke femininity.

These explorations may depart from the iconic use of the object within the real life frame and
explore or cast it based on its movement or sound characteristics that may or may not relate to
its actual use.

3) Summation - different objects are combined to form one character

Participants may find and join different (parts of) objects to form one character and bring it to life
in improvised animations. Possibilities abound!

For any further enquiries, please contact ([email protected]).

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