Waldo and Muriel Lanchester’s Marionette Master Class

Synopsis

Begins with a brief introduction to puppetry: shadow, rod, glove and string puppets (marionettes). Introduces Waldo and Muriel Lanchester at their marionette theatre in Malvern during the early 1940s. The main part of the video shows in detail how the Lanchesters made a 15-inch marionette clown and his stage setting. Illustrates carving and assembly of body parts (explaining the joints with the aid of cut-away diagrams), carving the head, painting, making the wig and costume, printing fabric, marionette control, stringing and manipulating the marionette, painting the stage backcloth, performing the marionette. Ends with a performance of the Lanchesters’ ‘Grand Circus’

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 49 min.

Year of production

1985

Availability

Sale

Uses

Courses which teach puppet making for performance. Professional puppeteers.*

Subjects

Art; Drama

Keywords

marionettes; performances; puppet theatre

Credits

Director

Douglas Fisher

Producer

Douglas Fisher

Writer

Douglas Fisher

Cast

Dick Graham

Distributor

Name

DFAV