Overview of The International Puppet Festival '98, Schedule of Events and Links to Other Shows

Teatro Gioco Vita's Firebird brings the 1998 International Festival of Puppet Theater to a fitting close. The New Victory Theater is host to this production involving projections, shadows, dance and, of course, puppets. As a show for children it works well because the piece relies more on the imagination than on simple entertaining effects and, except for the youngest in the audience, held their attention throughout.

Although this Firebird works superbly on a visual level, it is worthwhile arriving in time to read the plot summary so that the images will make more sense. Somewhat unfamiliar to American audiences, the story line is based on Mikhail Fokine's original ballet scenario that Igor Stravinsky used when composing the score in 1909. To ominous rumblings in the orchestra, Prince Ivan stumbles on evil magician Kastchei's enchanted garden and spies the Firebird. The Prince captures the bird but then sets it loose; the bird in return gives him a golden feather to summon it in case of danger, which is just around the corner. The Prince then watches as a group of young maidens led by the beautiful Princess all under Kastchei's spell cavort in the garden. Seeking to liberate her, the Prince finds himself trapped a nasty battle with the magician's ghouls. Saved by the Firebird, the Prince frees the Princess.

The kids relish the projected appearances of the evil sorcerer Kastchei with oversized black body and two huge blood-red eyes. They also love the way the image of the Firebird moves from a superb dancer-mime perched high above the stage to a painted cutout to a shadow cast on a large white scrim. Hand-held cutout profiles for the Prince and Princess, blue- and green-toned respectively, boast moveable arms and heads and the gigantic eyes seen in Mesopotamian cult statues. The remaining characters appear as shadows on the scrim using rod puppets against clear and colored lights.

Amazingly only two puppeteers, here called manipulators, make all the characters and effects described above. Franco Quartieri begins as the Prince himself but then ably handles the puppets for the humans in the story in addition to creating many of the shadow effects. Massimo Arbarello is a master of dramatic dance along the lines of Roland Petit's creations. His expressive face and gestures are complemented by images he creates with a small light illuminating parts of his sleek body on the dark set. As the Firebird in the opening scene, he lights his arms extended downward close to each other and his upper torso as far as the chin to give the effect of a sphinx-oracle hovering above. Another memorable moment occurs as he supports a large circular frame containing a screen that magically captures shadow images cast by Mr. Quartieri's puppets. Mr. Arbarello's pose with arms in a V has a wonderful art deco flavor.

There is an extended dull spot about two-thirds of the way through the show, but this is largely the fault of the Stravinsky score which falters at just that point. An extended fight scene between Kastchei's demons and the Prince is stretched somewhat beyond what the visual ideas in this section can comfortably fill. The inspired final image is of the Firebird against a shimmering cloth lit by tangerine and aqua lights. The show's running time is about 50 minutes and is approrpriate . for children ages 6 and up.

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© Elyse Sommer, September 1998