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Important “Little” Things Part 2

When putting on a puppet presentation, if you aren’t careful, it is easy to overlook some simple things that add to the professionalism of the presentation.

Last post we looked at the puppet’s hair. This week we’ll focus on eye contact. When two puppets talk to each other, they should look at each other, not the audience.

I’ve seen many puppet shows where a puppet is looking at the audience or off to one side or up in the air while talking to another puppet. It’s ok to glance to the side or the audience, but the focus should be on the one you are talking to.

Next time you watch a TV program or movie, watch the characters. How often do they look at the screen (i.e. the audience)? They don’t. They focus attention on the one they’re communicating with. How distracting would it be to watch a sit-com where the actors are all looking at the studio audience?

Sometimes the lack of eye contact is caused by tired arms. As a puppeteer’s arm gets tired, they tend to lose focus on the puppet and put their effort into keeping their arm up. Other times, it is simply inattention to the puppet.

There are times when the puppet’s position makes it difficult to maintain eye contact with another puppet. As you practice your plays, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of positioning puppeteers so their puppets can make eye contact.

A left-handed puppeteer working a puppet on the right side of the stage will have a hard time looking to the left. The same is true for a right-handed puppeteer working on the left side of the stage.

There are times when the puppet will look at the audience, but those are usually during songs or parts in the play where the audience is recognized.

Where do your puppets look when they talk? Looking in the right places adds to the professionalism and impact that your team makes.

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