Entre o chamado novo teatro americano, o Bread and Puppet Theatre é conhecido pelo carácter radical das suas técnicas, pela recusa do profissionalismo, assim como pela vontade de se inserirem na realidade quotidiana, tal como pela «pobreza» dos recursos técnicos que utiliza.
Bem se pode dizer que o Bread and Puppet Theatre pratica um teatro total na medida em que utiliza e combina todos os recursos do espectáculo e das artes: actores, marionetas, máscaras, pantomina, récita, música, dança, pintura, escultura, jogos de luzes, etc,etc. tudo isso numa dramaturgia unitária.
O Bread and Puppet Theatre foi fundado por Peter Schumann, escultor alemão que, de 1958 a 1960, dirigiu o grupo de Nova Dança de Munique. Instala-se, entretanto, nos Estados Unidos, e dá o seu primeiro espectáculo – uma «Dança dos Mortos» - na Judson Memorial Church de Nova Iorque, em 1961. Em seguida, monta um espectáculo ao ar livre sobre uma greve. A partir de então, e um pouco por toda a parte quer nos Estados Unidos quer na Europa, o Bread and Puppet Theatre dá espectáculos, em locais improvisados, e no decurso de manifestações.
O nome do Bread and Pupet Theatre, bem como o cerimonial simbólico, com que iniciavam os seus espectáculos ( distribuição de pão aos espectadores da primeira fila) revestia um significado. «Tentamos persuadi-los», nas palavras de Peter Schumann, «de que o teatro é tão indispensável ao homem como o pão».O espectáculo, nunca realista, deve levar os espectadores a tomares consciência do problema. Mas o método não é o do Brecht. «é necessário impressioná-los, sem cair em detalhes, sem ter a preocupação de fazer compreender os diversos aspectos da questão, sem procurar saber qual será a sua reacção, cumprindo sempre uma missão de alerta e de comunhão».
Os actores não eram profissionais. Eles próprios fabricam as suas máscaras e arranjam os seus acessórios e até os instrumentos de música com objectos encontrados nos caixotes de lixo.
Utilizavam também marionetas gigantes e marionetas vivas
Este tipo de teatro, parco de palavras, e repleto de gestos simbólicos, destina-se tanto a multidões em movimento como ao auditórios atentos.
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Mais informações em inglês:
Description and Brief History of the Bread and Puppet Theatre
In 1962, one year after its founder moved to New York City from West Germany. Until 1971, Bread and Puppet resided in New York City, working in Coney Island and the East Village. In June 1970 part of Bread and Puppet moved to Plainfield, Vermont, as a theater-in-residence at Goddard College. Here the group held the first annual "Domestic Resurrection Circus," a two-day festival "celebrating the beauties and lamenting the sorrows of our existence in scores of mask, music and puppet performances".
Bread and Puppet has given workshops in sculpture, mime, dance, story-making, puppet building and operation, music and instrument making at Goddard College (1971-1974) and in Glover, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont where the group has converted an old barn into a museum, displaying hundreds of masks and puppets. In 1974 Bread and Puppet moved to Glover where it has remained ever since.
Since its beginnings, Bread and Puppet Theater has been a small, self-managed, non-commercial theater. Despite the lack of financial and material funding, Bread and Puppet continues to thrive, always committed to increasing people's awareness of pertinent social and political issues. Often depicted are the victims of injustice, plagued by war, hunger and social oppression. During the sixties, Bread and Puppet frequently participated in demonstrations against American involvement in Vietnam, using over-life size puppets and masked performers. Although Schumann expressly says that the shows are not political, the subjects of his plays are very thought-provoking, demanding that the audience question their moral responsibilities. Underlying all the performances, however, is a note of hope and optimism.
Bread and Puppet derives from ancient folk traditions: medieval morality plays, Punch and Judy, Sicilian and Balinese puppetry, and Japanese Bunraku. Classical art and the bible have also influenced Schumann, as well as current events. Having studied art, sculpture and music in Germany, Schumann has fused these elements into the creation of a unique puppet theater. Puppetry is the essence of this theater, preferring action to dialogue; the puppets display life in simple, ritualistic terms rather than trying to explain it or teach about it. Peter Schumann believes that "puppetry and all the arts are for the Gods, are wild, are raw material, are bread and sourdough....are for life and death, births, weddings, exaltation and sorrow, not for professionals and specialists of culture."
Believing that theater is a basic necessity like bread, Bread and Puppet has brought its theater out into the streets to those who may otherwise not go to the theater. Larger than life size puppets often on stilts, wear huge masks with expressive faces, singing, dancing and playing music. Participation in these plays varies from two to over one hundred actors, including children. Out in the city streets and the fields of Vermont and unimpeded by theater walls, the audience becomes more engaged in the performances and relates with the characters themselves.
Bread and Puppet is recognized throughout the world and has won distinction at international theater festivals in Italy, Poland and Yugoslavia.
Description and Brief History of the Bread and Puppet Theatre
In 1962, one year after its founder moved to New York City from West Germany. Until 1971, Bread and Puppet resided in New York City, working in Coney Island and the East Village. In June 1970 part of Bread and Puppet moved to Plainfield, Vermont, as a theater-in-residence at Goddard College. Here the group held the first annual "Domestic Resurrection Circus," a two-day festival "celebrating the beauties and lamenting the sorrows of our existence in scores of mask, music and puppet performances".
Bread and Puppet has given workshops in sculpture, mime, dance, story-making, puppet building and operation, music and instrument making at Goddard College (1971-1974) and in Glover, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont where the group has converted an old barn into a museum, displaying hundreds of masks and puppets. In 1974 Bread and Puppet moved to Glover where it has remained ever since.
Since its beginnings, Bread and Puppet Theater has been a small, self-managed, non-commercial theater. Despite the lack of financial and material funding, Bread and Puppet continues to thrive, always committed to increasing people's awareness of pertinent social and political issues. Often depicted are the victims of injustice, plagued by war, hunger and social oppression. During the sixties, Bread and Puppet frequently participated in demonstrations against American involvement in Vietnam, using over-life size puppets and masked performers. Although Schumann expressly says that the shows are not political, the subjects of his plays are very thought-provoking, demanding that the audience question their moral responsibilities. Underlying all the performances, however, is a note of hope and optimism.
Bread and Puppet derives from ancient folk traditions: medieval morality plays, Punch and Judy, Sicilian and Balinese puppetry, and Japanese Bunraku. Classical art and the bible have also influenced Schumann, as well as current events. Having studied art, sculpture and music in Germany, Schumann has fused these elements into the creation of a unique puppet theater. Puppetry is the essence of this theater, preferring action to dialogue; the puppets display life in simple, ritualistic terms rather than trying to explain it or teach about it. Peter Schumann believes that "puppetry and all the arts are for the Gods, are wild, are raw material, are bread and sourdough....are for life and death, births, weddings, exaltation and sorrow, not for professionals and specialists of culture."
Believing that theater is a basic necessity like bread, Bread and Puppet has brought its theater out into the streets to those who may otherwise not go to the theater. Larger than life size puppets often on stilts, wear huge masks with expressive faces, singing, dancing and playing music. Participation in these plays varies from two to over one hundred actors, including children. Out in the city streets and the fields of Vermont and unimpeded by theater walls, the audience becomes more engaged in the performances and relates with the characters themselves.
Bread and Puppet is recognized throughout the world and has won distinction at international theater festivals in Italy, Poland and Yugoslavia.
Consultar:
http://bailey.uvm.edu:6336/dynaweb/findingaids/bredpupt/@Generic__BookTextView/85;cs=default;ts=default
http://www.pbpub.com/bread&puppet/bread.htm
http://www.theaterofmemory.com/art/bread/bread.html
http://www.gpdesigns.com/puppets/
http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/bread_puppet/http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/papers/Schumann.html
