Backstage At The Grandan Puppets

Welcome to the Backstage area- where we will frequently add items of interest and amusement to keep you entertained- in short, you'll never know what you are going to find in here!

History of The Grandan Puppets

Puppets and puppetry - particularly marionettes, captured my heart from an early age.  When I was still very young in my hometown, Whakatane New Zealand, the old Grand Theatre where we used to see Laurel & Hardy movies on Saturday afternoons, also doubled as a theatre where live acts from faraway places used to play on occasions – like a puppet troupe from Britain that enthralled us when I was about 8 years old. My cousin also used to perform puppet shows so I learned how to make marionettes even before I went to school.

After years of "thinking about it" I began work began on the puppets in 2003 in Sydney Australia. Puppets had always fascinated me. Being a child of the post war era – born in a small town in the North Island of New Zealand, life seemed pretty "colourless" in those days with a decided shortage of goods (and money).

Two wonderful things that were not colourless and still stick in my mind - one, a particular children's book which had a picture of a wondrously bright sunset on a double page spread at the back – and the time a beautiful puppet suddenly appeared in a puppet show (marionettes) being put on by my cousin in the local library during the school holidays. Now I realise the "Fairy Godmother" was merely a puppet dressed in white tulle covered with glued on glitter, (the simplest and most unsophisticated of materials) but as she gracefully descended into the story, I still remember the “sighs and ahhhhs" that emanated from the enthralled audience.

I was delighted to spend time at my cousin's place to see the puppets (marionettes) and learn how they were created. With little choice and availability of materials in those days the heads were modelled in plasticine then moulded into "Plaster of Paris" by my cousin Gaye, and the bodies (and a wonderfully constructed stage) were made in wood by my Uncle. The puppets were not large (10") and with screws being set into the plaster, they were not hardy and I recall, broke easily. Nonetheless, they were fascinating – and this started my lifelong admiration and interest in puppetry in all its forms.

The fact that I never took up puppetry or planned to do something actively with it until recent times, had a lot to do with being diverted by other interests including music and theatre. What is doubly strange is that some years ago I mentioned my interest in puppets to a friend who was so encouraged by my "enthusiasm, he took it up himself and today runs a Punch & Judy Show.

It was some time later before "the bug" really bit me and I decided to actually do something, myself. After seeing the enjoyment my friend was getting and then attending a Puppet Festival – I finally decided to become proactive. Even then it took me a further two years before I finally got started- but since then I’ve never stopped. Yea- wheels turn slowly sometimes :)

So began an enormous exercise in experimentation with the wonderful materials of today. Of course I started thinking I was creating the puppets I would be using – only to find I was constantly changing my techniques (and improving) with each new puppet I made. This meant each new puppet seemed to bring obsolescence to the previous efforts- so it took a time before I reached the point where I felt confident the puppets I was making were of comparable size and quality and of a standard" good enough to keep -and use.

When one starts such a project such as this, it takes time to make all the decisions that crop up along the way - a big decision had to be "the size" I would make the puppets. In that regard I have been quite adventurous because I did want to create puppets that could be easily seen by an audience of say 600 - so this meant I had to go somewhat large- but this also brought problems. With puppets nearly a metre high, issues about weight and control come into play. Thank Goodness for the materials of today.

At times I couldn't even make up my mind what kind of puppets I wanted to create- and before settling on marionettes I even wavered between making them all rod puppets. Don’t ask me why marionettes particularly appeal to me- perhaps it’s the individual movement and personality that seems to come to life when they are finally strung.

Finally deciding on an appropriate "size," I then realised I had issues with weight- they were far too heavy.

At least, I thought- they were strong enough to withstand the rigors of being moved constantly- until one day, a lodger unknowingly decided to move them into a heap in the corner. To my dismay- most of them were broken and I realised the hard way that none of them had been strong enough to meet the usual wear and tear.

Finally everything started to come together - with some newly discovered techniques and the discovery of some more amazing materials I am now building my puppets one third larger than before (approx 3 feet tall) – yet they weigh just one third of the weight of the previous ones. That’s quite a turnaround- however, the cost in the modern materials is quite considerable. My materials of choice cost about $8 a packet of 100 grams – and I use a lot- a far cry from the plaster of Paris of old which used to cost twopence a pound! (but that’s giving my age away) hehe

With everything coming together I realised "re-working" the first puppets I had created was not a viable option that would satisfy me in the long term and so they remain my "cupboard children" - perhaps never to see performance, but each and every one of them having played a vital part in giving me the necessary "building skills and experience" I needed to bring this project to reality.

I registered the Domain names December 14th 2006 when I decided to get really serious about doing something.

The first website was put together with the help of friends Luke and Alex. I also thought it a good idea to build the website as the project grows, as an entertainment in its own right - so that others who were interested could " come along for the ride" and enjoy a bit of a giggle.

My long term project is still in creation today - the show- "The Tartar & The Princess" which is a dramatic costume drama where the action takes place in the Imperial Chinese Court in ancient times. This show, more than any other is specifically for a full puppet theatre only- with a special stage- and remains one of my pet projects to happen at a later time.

In March 2007 I was amazed at the number of requests I was getting from the new website – with requests to perform at various functions and venues. It caused me to re-think that perhaps I needed to put the "Tartar & The Princess" show on hold and first devote my energies into various "acts" suitable to take into a wider variety of gigs. In May of 2007 I continued to receive offers of work, but one in particular grabbed my attention and caused me to change direction as it forced me to work to a specified date. I was invited to perform at the Gyeong Ju Expo in Korea on the 21st of September. It was a huge compliment and honour to be invited to this event and I was keen to do it.

Because it was an International act, I had to take into consideration the fact that language couldn’t be used- so it had to be a musical program instead. This meant I had to conceptualise and create the show from scratch. I spend several sleepless nights coming up with concepts for the show. The response to my suggested program with the Korean organisers of the Expo was extremely positive and so the plans were put into action.

In June 2007 one of the directors of the Expo came to town wanting to meet me- Mr Ahn- a charming gentleman who is well known in Korea and has built the famous traditional puppet theatre four hours drive from where the Expo was held. He invited me to perform there after Expo but I had to decline due to other commitments back here in Australia. He loved my puppets so on his request I gave him a puppet (Porky the dog- from the Little Red Riding Hood Show) to take back to Korea and put on display as part of a world puppet display. It remains in this exhibition to this day.

In August 2007- one month before the Expo, the stringing and tweeking was in full swing. I was dismayed that the ostrich segment of the act was not going well and I had to change the act by dropping them altogether and replacing it with the "Funeral March For A Marionette". This “act” is based on Gounod's "Funeral March For A Marionette" and the music is well known as it was used as the theme for the Alfred Hitchcock Hour on TV in the 60’s and 70’s. This act is rather novel and it remains in my repertoire to this day and is always popular.

Early September- (5^th) something very strange happened. I was just completing the Pavarotti marionette when news of his death came over the radio. It was such a strange thing to happen it almost seemed that fate determined my puppet of him will be a tribute to him for some time to come. This was not the first time coincidences have happened to me since I began working on the puppets. The way I have found the very things I need during construction- or the way things have come to me has been incredible to the point where I have to say it is as though fate has always pointed me in the right direction and helped me....it’s a nice feeling.

Two days later, after completing Pavarotti, Alex and I completed the soundtrack for the Korean “Hi Jinx” show, and on September 19th – I arrived in Korea. On the twenty first of September I began my shows- 3 shows per day for seven days. The shows were a huge success with people reportedly fighting outside the theatre to obtain seats (limit of 600 per performance). On the 25th - a local TV Channel filmed and interviewed me in preparation for a TV documentary on him going to air ten days later.

Before I left, I officially donated "Porky" the dog, to Mr Ahn, who now features in the permanent world puppetry expo exhibition at his House of Puppetry. Porky will be in great company with some of the most famous puppets in the world. It’s satisfying to think that in a far off land- something of my work will remain long after I’m gone. I returned to Sydney on September 30th and continued to work on the five more puppets, specially created for the Cabaret show, to entertain at adult parties.

On January 25th 2008 I purchased the first components to create a staging platform. Much work followed and experimentation with curtains etc. On January 30th I placed an order to have a special trailer custom made to fit behind the car. The trailer is fully enclosed and it was ready within a week.

In May, I am contracted to do a performance of “Little Red Riding Hood” in the performing Arts Centre at Campbelltown during the School holidays. It turns out to be little short of an unmitigated disaster! The show was to start at 11am- I arrive at nine but the gates are locked and I don’t get in until after ten. My “roadie” is totally inexperienced and in helping me to assemble the show, I suddenly notice he has hung the puppets up by their mouth strings! The sound system fails and the staging is swaying. The show is now thirty minutes late from starting and the organising lady gets terse with me and tells me to start regardless. I do so and things get worse- I get to the point where the little poppet says “I will go through the enchanted forest now and perhaps I’ll see the fairy!”

I turn around and whisper to my assistant “Where is the fairy?”

“What fairy?” comes the reply.

Now exasperation consumes me “...the fairy!... the fairy...the f***ing fairy!!”

“Oh well”, says Little Red Riding Hood, “I guess I won’t be seeing the fairy today!” (and she was right about that!)

Somehow the show proceeds and at the end I’m delighted that the audience seems to have enjoyed it despite the huge hiccups that only I seem to know about. It is however a valuable lesson to me and I decide to rebuild the staging and a brand new sound system on wheels. Never again will I do a show that is not well rehearsed with a roadie that is not fully trained.

During the time of re-creation that followed, I made a portable sound system that is as fail safe as I could make. (Lesson well learned) and another box ticked -ready for my next live performance.

Sometime between May and Christmas- I got the urge to create some political puppets to do political satire.

I started to make three local politicians – The PM, The Deputy and The Environment Minister. On seeing the new creations, visitors to my home all seem very enthusiastic about the ideas. Then one day friend Chris arrived- and almost forgetting he is one of this country’s most talented web creators with his own film studios etc- the idea to combine talents and see what we can achieve, is mooted, then agreed upon.

I visualise an online show with weekly comedy skits done within the framework of an online theatre. In every sense it will be “old world theatrical” with skits as topical as today.

I completed the first puppets and work began on the website- we filmed the first two skits in August 2009.

Welcome to backstage of the Grand Theatre, where our resident players The Grandan Puppets are now performing.

In here we will frequently put items of interest and amusement– who knows what  you will find here! ...and in time- who knows what may follow?