by Sean Keohane » 07 Dec 2006, 21:35
Sorry to have missed the pictures Chris vdC had originally posted, as it would be good to see the back drop, and the sides. If it isn't too much trouble, might they be reposted, Mr van der Craats (or of course you could simply email them to me)?
Not having seen the picture, I can't make any comment about the wall-eyed Punch that Chris refers to, but I've always liked that slightly 'off' eye in some Punch figures myself. I not only have a Punch that Chris vdC made, but a wall-eyed Judy which I've transformed into a Polichinelle to tour with a French script. That Judy/Polichinelle was sold in England, and its eye was no doubt inspired by the Picinni drawings, as was the wandering eye in Chris vdC's puppets. I have heard two negative comments about the Polichinelle's eye, though most people seem to think the puppet looks great. One woman said she found the skewed eye confusing, and even disturbing, and another puppeteer said because of it the character's focus seemed wrong.
Now, the second comment was really probably a needed critique on my manipulation, but when I mentioned it to a third puppeteer who had also seen my show, he said, "of course the focus is off; your Punch has a dead eye, and that's fine." It wasn't entirely encouraging, but at least that fellow, who didn't mind the dead eye, has booked me, and my wall-eyed Polichinelle, for a gig next month.
But that eye, it may bear watching.
Sean K.