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What Should I Do When Critiquing Other Puppeteers?

The last two posts have talked about critiquing in order to improve your puppet skills. Critiquing is when someone out front watches your performance and gives suggestions to improve the quality of the puppetry.

Critiquing, when done properly, is one of the greatest ways a team can help a puppeteer improve their skills. When practicing, those puppeteers not in the play should be out front watching and critiquing. Not only does it help improve the puppet skills, but it can also build the team. When members genuinely watch out for each other, it strengthens the team.

So, how do you critique properly? Here are some suggestions:

• Number one is to always remember that it’s not about you. You’re not trying to make yourself look better, or show off your puppet knowledge, or impress the director. Critiquing is about the team and is an opportunity for you to help strengthen the team.
• Critiquing is not meant to tear down, but to build up. Phrase your comments in a positive manner. Here are some key phrases you can use: 
  “Bernie, you can strengthen your performance by not leaning on the stage.” 
  “Priscilla, the audience needs to see more than your head. It would help if you were a bit higher.” 
  “Skip, it would look more natural if you didn’t hold your arm out for an extended period of time.” 
  “Priscilla, your voice sounds great for the part, but it would help if you were louder. The people in the back of the audience might not be able to hear you.” 
• Also comment on what they do well. All the comments don’t have to be on how to improve. Commenting on what someone is doing right will help to reinforce that action and encourage them to keep doing it. 
• Critique others the way you would like them to critique you. If everyone on the team followed that advice, it would be fantastic. Sometimes they don’t. Even if someone critiques you poorly, resist the urge to give it back to them when it’s your turn. If you do, you’re making it about you and will just compound the problem.  
• When you’re being critiqued try not to take it personal. To do that, continually remind yourself that the comments aren’t being made against you, they are being made to help you improve and ultimately to help the team improve. Be thankful that someone cares enough to tell you what you need to hear so you can become the best puppeteer you can.

Proper critiquing is a definite plus for any puppet team. It has helped my puppet skills tremendously and I highly recommend it.

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