Publish at November 28 2023Updated November 28 2023
The true face of puppets
Art that wasn't meant for children
The term "puppet" seems to be associated with childhood. So many shows aimed at the very young use these dolls manipulated by hidden humans. Yet there's nothing childlike about puppetry in the first place. In fact, the art was only performed for adults, just as fairy tales weren't originally written with children in mind.
In the 16th century, performances featured the great classics of tragedy, and in the 17th century, the figure of the guignol appeared and served to mock elites and authority.
Since then, although puppet shows have been created for young audiences, they can also be used to tackle darker themes. New Zealand director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, King Kong) used Sesame Street-style doll characters in his film "Meet the Feebles", dealing with notions of suicide, violence, drugs and so on. This important contrast is used by puppeteers to touch on serious themes in a roundabout way. The puppet approach removes some of the sense of rejection a viewer might feel if this were performed by an actor.
How do you talk to children about genetics and heredity? A British museum has come up with the method: design a game in which you create a line of adorable creatures with precise objectives. The game is fun, colorful and easy to learn. Even adults will succumb to the charms of the bugs and their large families.
To a layman, music is just a tune performed by a musician. Yet, if he were to play Meludia, he would learn all the rudiments and terms associated with musical practice.
Video games designed for people with disabilities are already a rare resource. An experience that allows multiple players is even rarer. Yet this latest creation from "Ludociels for All" challenges players to light up an entire maze by walking balls of light.
An original approach to depression. The game's metaphor is well conceived, a little dark and informative about a problem that affects millions of people.