Rod Puppets
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings made by Lyndie Wright. Image by John Mills
Rod puppets can be large, able to perform for large crowds. They are capable of extremely subtle movements.
A rod puppet is controlled by sticks from below or behind the puppet. The puppeteer is either behind a screen, below the stage or ‘play-board’ but can also sometimes be visible. They can have legs, and can demonstrate very subtle movements.
Examples of rod puppets in this exhibition include the Circle of Tales puppets made by John Roberts, and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings made by Lyndie Wright.
Featured Puppet: The Samurai
Short film of Japanese rod puppet, The Samurai, on display in the exhibition
Film by JM Media