GHOULISH JESTERS. Short philosophical tales, stories that are silly and amusing or that touch the collective imagination, comical playlets, funny, satirical fables in verse and stirring, moralist comedies are all part of Famous Puppet Death Scenes. These gems are taken from the repertoire of puppetry and all deal with death, with death viewed as either desperate or invigorating. Scenes are presented as dumb shows or are tied together by narration, with the puppeteers sometimes hidden and at other times in full view. With a puppet as master of ceremonies, the miniature puppet theatre gives rise to multiple possibilities and is transformed into the theatre of our fleeting human condition, a touching portrayal of our poor mortal selves. The work of this Alberta theatre company has drawn inspiration from the traditions of many cultures, creating an anthology of naive and sophisticated pieces that can be poetical or lyrical, of solemn beauty or unbridled fantasy. All styles are evoked, from Jewish humour and metaphor to philosophical tales entwined with enigmatic fables.  Never lugubrious or bleak, all the scenes have as their theme death, or rather life. After all, life is a fatal disease and we’re hanging on by a thread!

Created and conceived by The Old Trout Puppet Workshop & Friends: Peter Balkwill, Don Brinsmead, Mitchell Craib, Pityu Kenderes, Bobby Hall, Judd Palmer, Stephen Pearce And Tim Sutherland
Directed By Tim Sutherland
Technical Direction: Bobby Hall
Costume Design: Jen Gareau, Sarah Malik
Lighting Design & Production Stage Management: Cimmeron Meyer
Sound Design: Mike Rinaldi
Produced By Grant Burns
With: Peter Balkwill, Mitchell Craib, Pityu Kenderes, Judd Palmer