Puppets for Peace
When: Friday through Sunday
Where: Various locations, including the Bay Centre, Roxy Theatre, Merlin’s Sun Home Theatre and the streets of Victoria
Tickets: Go to puppetsforpeace.weebly.com for full ticket and event information.
You might notice something different about the activists in a parade on Sunday.
They might be larger than usual or smaller than usual and will most definitely be more colourful. But the puppets that will travel between Craigdarroch Castle and Government House will still have a common message with many other marchers.
Puppets for Peace is a celebration coinciding with the United Nations International Day of Peace. It is part of a three-day festival of puppet shows, workshops and lectures running Friday to Sunday.
It won’t be the first time that puppets advocate for peace, according to festival organizer and puppeteer Tim Gosley.
“There’s a history of puppets and activism,” he said.
Gosley pointed to Bread and Puppet Theater, an American company that became a familiar presence in the protest movement against the Vietnam War, as well as domestic politics, as an example.
“The root of what they were trying to do was create social change and a less capitalist world,” Gosley said.
The parade departs from the castle at 1 p.m., and a celebration will be hosted on the grounds at Government House until 4 p.m. At least 150 puppets are expected to participate.
Among the human attendees will be two women behind celebrity puppets: Karen Prell (Red Fraggle and Worm on Labyrinth) and Judith Lawrence (Casey and Finnegan from Mr. Dressup) will marshal the march.
The Puppets for Peace celebration is just one of a series of puppet-themed events beginning Friday.
Free workshops and puppet shows will be hosted on the third floor of the Bay Centre, in a space dubbed Puppet Central.
“We are encouraging donation, but it’s free,” said Gosley.
One show at Puppet Central is Dream, by a company called Runaway Moon based in Enderby.
“It’s sort of quirky and humorous and based on the Mexican Day of the Dead,” Gosley said. “It’s more for adults; kids are welcome but the humour is kind of quirky and quiet. It isn’t a flamboyant, entertaining puppet story.”
There will also be a series of ticketed performances, hosted at the Roxy Theatre and Merlin Sun’s Home Theatre. Locals Old Trout Puppet Workshop and Puente Theatre have paired up to present a show called Umbrella, featuring musical guests Bucan Bucan. And there will also be an Anarchist Puppet/Poet Slam with Missie Peters.
Heather Henson (“daughter of the big J”) collects short puppet films and has arranged a family series as well as a series for adults. The feature film is Lessons Learned by Toby Froud, son of the designers behind Labyrinth and Dark Crystal.
Up to two dozen established puppeteers will also arrive in Victoria for the Pacific Northwest Region meeting of the Puppeteers of America. That means participants and workshop hosts from across Canada and as far away as Java, Indonesia.
A full list of events and ticket information is available at puppetsforpeace.weebly.com.
Gosley said he hopes the festival introduces participants to new elements of puppetry.
“I would love them to experience the varied world of puppets. If you are a puppeteer and you go to festivals, you quickly become aware that not all puppets are Muppets, that they have a tradition in every country,” he said.
In terms of the parade, he said he hopes it spreads positivity.
“Most puppets tend to make you feel warm and fuzzy. And if you’re in a warm and fuzzy mood, you’re generally pretty peaceful.”
