Don't feed the plants: puppetry, theatre and geometry.

Hello actors and mathematicians! Today we are discussing a lesser known practise in the theatrical world: puppetry. It has been utilized in musicals such as Little Shop of Horrors and Avenue Q.

Puppetry is a fascinating art form that brings inanimate objects to life, attracting audiences of all ages. Although it may sound fanciful, puppetry is not without its geometric background. Puppetists use geometric principles to craft and manipulate their puppets, creating compelling performances that engage and inspire. In this blog post, we'll explore the fascinating relationship between geometry and puppetry, immersing ourselves in the art of manipulating shapes to bring these magical figures to life.

Geometry is essential in the articulation and movement of the puppet. The puppeteer must know the angles and rotation of the joints to control the puppet convincingly. Using geometric principles, such as hinges and pivots, puppeteers create movements that mimic human or animal movements. Understanding the shape of joints allows puppeteers to achieve fluidity, range of motion and expressive gestures, bringing their characters to life with realism- it's almos magic!.

This subject also plays an important role in spatial perception and staging of puppet shows. The puppeteer must navigate the stage and interact with the props, the setting, and other puppets. By understanding spatial, angle, and line-of-sight relationships, puppeteers can create dynamic and visually appealing performances. Geometry provides puppeteers with a basis for considering depth, perspective, and composition, allowing them to create captivating theatrical images and immersive storytelling experiences.

Finally, and most importantly for this entry, geometry plays an essential role in puppet construction. Puppeteers must understand form, proportion, and structural integrity in order to create puppets that are functional and visually appealing. From designing and cutting fabric patterns to building application parts and frames, puppet makers use geometric principles to bring their creations to life. By using concepts such as symmetry, balance, and proportion, puppeteers ensure that their puppets not only look good, but are also capable of realistic movement and manipulation.

Why is this important? Well, in a class of primary education, it is easy to incorporate puppet-making into a bigger didactic sequence, for students to work with other subjects, for example in a PBL structure. Letting children play around with the basics of puppetry seems to be an excellent way of helping them get the hang of all these geometric principles in a hands-on way.

What do you think? Would you implement this idea in a classroom?

Until next time, break a leg!