Puppets & Marionnettes
When they hear the term “puppet”, many people will think back to their childhoods – in my case that would be to The Friendly Giant’s Rusty the Rooster and Jerome the Giraffe, and to Mr Dressup’s Casey and Finnegan. Later generations enjoyed Shari Lewis and Lambchop, The Muppets, and the Sesame Street puppets. These characters mostly were hand puppets, with the exceptions of Big Bird (costumed performer) and some of the Muppets who are marionettes.
There are two types of puppets – non-articulated and articulated (e.g. marionnettes). Puppets in some form have existed for centuries. They are mentioned in the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, and have been found in archaeological sites of the Indus Valley and other parts of Asia. Some of these apparently were used for entertainment, but others were seemingly for religious purposes.
The word “marionnette” is a diminutive of “Marie”, and was first applied to figures representing the Virgin Mary; from the 16th century this name was given to wooden dolls, both sacred and common. Today’s meaning for “marionnette” is a puppet that moves by the manipulation of its strings.
Puppets may seem odd items for a community museum to have, but the Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) has a collection of hand-crafted marionnettes that came to it from the Peterborough Puppet Guild. The Guild was formed in 1953 and disbanded in 1965. Guild members created over 70 marionnettes based on fairy tales, literature, celebrities, and fantasy. The budget for making marionnettes was limited, but members compensated with ingenuity: if you look closely, some noses are toothpaste tube caps! As well as builders, Guild members were puppeteers, lighting technicians, scriptwriters, set creators, and filled any other roles required for their shows.
Until March 2024, PMA visitors will have the opportunity to view a selection of these remarkable artifacts on exhibit. While King Neptune and a mermaid may not swim through the ocean, the Flutist may not play his instrument, Snow White may not bite the apple, and Liberace may not tickle the keys of his piano, they certainly may put on a show in your imagination.
The Peterborough Museum & Archives, 300 Hunter St E, Peterborough 705-743-5180
