Puppets and Puppet Theatre [Hardcover]

David Currell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

Puppets and Puppet Theatre contains everything one needs to know to progress from a beginner's level to a high standard of artistry. Puppeteer David Currell concentrates on designing, making, and performing with the main types of puppets, offering detailed information on the nature and heritage of puppet theater; the anatomy of a puppet and its design and structure; materials and methods for sculpting, modeling, and casting puppet parts; step-by-step instructions for constructing marionettes as well as glove, hand, rod, and shadow puppets; and the control and manipulation of all these types of puppets. The author then covers staging principles and construction methods; principles of lighting and sound; and the basics of producing a show. Lavishly illustrated and filled with expert tips and insights, this is a must-have book for anyone drawn to the magical world of puppets and puppet theater.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Motion and performance are the emphasis in these three books. Currell, the author of several books on puppets (e.g., The Compete Book of Puppet Theatre), presents a detailed manual with line drawings and photographs for constructing and staging several types of two- and three-dimensional puppets to be used by children or adults. Some of the moving toys in the Howes's book, such as jumping figures and bobbing birds, are constructed much like puppets, but this book also includes carousels, pinwheels, and a very clever little theater with magnetic characters. Maskwork combines historical information about ethnic masks that children can make for their own performances, with performance and staging tips included. All three books would be welcome in general crafts collections. The Currell and Foreman books are also suitable for theater collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Whew! This overview of puppetry rushes by at road-rage speed, the author seemingly determined to cram everything into one 176-page book. London lecturer Currell, with five books to his credit, marshalls his expertise into both the how-to-fashion figures and staging information, including plenty of colorful professional puppets to gaze upon. The problem, then, lies not so much in the data but in their presentation. Drawings are usually not full-scale. The writing is unusually stilted. And no true projects or patterns exist; instead, the focus is on generic methods (foam rubber versus wood sculpting, for instance) and on universal techniques (control and manipulation, construction, and the like) to educate puppeteers in the broadest perspective possible. Barbara Jacobs

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Crowood Press (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861261357
• ISBN-13: 978-1861261359
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on Puppetry Ever!!!!!!!! from a 15 year old, January 15, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Puppets and Puppet Theatre (Hardcover)

This book tells you everything you need to know about how to do a puppet show. If you are interested in puppetry, even just a little bit, get this book right away. Hint: if you want to use latex to make a hand puppet, sculpt the head with a open mouth.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional puppet making book, March 8, 2002

By 

Shalizeh "shalizeh2" (California United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puppets and Puppet Theatre (Hardcover)

This book is good for beginner puppeteers as well as for professional puppet makers. It is full of photographs and ideas, from puppet construction to theater and performance. Is one of those rare books that contains a great amount of useful information.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A high quality book, January 7, 2002

By 

Adriana Sautu (Panama Panama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppets and Puppet Theatre (Hardcover)

This is a book for professional and seriuous amateurs who want to improve their technical skills about puppet design, stages, and perfomances. Sharing the experience of excelent puppetters, with excelent photos and diagrams. Also is a very well design book, hardcover and sharp quality book. We strongly recommend it, it is one of the most complete and easy to read book we had seen.