Capstone Cultural Event 2 Cashore Marionettes "The World on a String"

The main difference between puppets and marionettes is how they are controlled.  Puppets are usually controlled from below with opening for the hand, marionettes are controlled from above with strings attached to the limbs.  Cashore Marionettes (named after the puppeteer and his wife) used marionette puppets in a way that I have never seen before.  He could make the puppets move in small subtle ways that brought the marionettes to life.

The first thing you'll notice with Cashore marionettes is that he doesn't mess around.  The marionettes were made by himself but more importantly so were the supports.  Above every marionette was a large metal horror of thin steel beams and fishing wire.  The wire was too numerous to count and allowed miraculous use of the marionettes.

The two hour show comprised about a dozen skits, each with their own set of marionettes.  There was no dialogue except for the occasional exclamation and the gibberish of a monk in one sketch.  The movement of the marionettes was incredible and Cashore was able to move them in ways that seemed impossible.  One of the more impressive early skits was of a mother and her baby.  The mother walked onto stage cradling and rocking the baby.  When she lifts the baby up, the baby's feet kick.  The mother then brought the baby close to her face and nuzzled it's belly.  When she held it out again the baby started kicking its feet, waving its arms, and shaking its head.  I never even expected the baby to move, let alone do 3 different things at once!  The audience was stunned as well as they were laughing.

Cultural Significance:

Cashore Marionettes was a rare treat, not only did he revive a really old art form, but he did so in a way that was truly unique to his show.  He threw away the convention of hiding the puppeteer, staying in plain sight with his black outfit and even broke the fourth wall on occasion (for his last performance he had a puppet climb onto his shoulder).

The skits touched on just about every emotion as well.  There was a hilarious rookie trapeze artist with his shaking limbs, a monk finding short-term joy in a ballon, a galloping horse being harassed by a dragonfly, and a heartbreaking scene of a homeless old man.  He could shift the mode almost effortlessly and that in itself is another impressive talent.

Cashore Marionettes is a resurrection in the ancient art of marionettes.  It's not even enough to really call them marionettes.  He created something unique and magical that needs to be seen by everyone.