Educational Media Reviews Online

An ancient form, puppetry has been prominent in various cultures throughout history, but holds only a marginal place in today’s Western performance art. Puppet is an intriguing look at puppetry in American culture, theorizing that scientific and technological progress led to the prominence of naturalism in American theater. Thus puppetry, because of its fantastical, abstract nature, was rejected in mainstream performance art and relegated to children’s entertainment.

In the last two decades, however, puppetry has seen a resurgence of attention. Puppet follows the planning and development of the 2007 puppet work, Disfarmer, culminating with the show’s opening night and critical response. Interspersed with footage of the puppet construction and portions of the show, the producers and puppeteers, in addition to other commentators, discuss what attracts them to puppetry, what makes it a unique and effective form of artistic expression. One puppeteer explains that puppetry involves audiences more than any other art form because it allows a viewer to project his or her emotions on an inanimate object. On the other side, one critic asserts that puppet theater is an end rather than a means of expression, and isn’t a real art form.

Creator Dan Hurlin’s experience with this often misunderstood art medium is accompanied by a discussion of the subject of his show, the enigmatic Mike Disfarmer, a Depression-era photographer who rejected his rural farming community by changing his name to Disfarmer. The way in which themes from Disfarmer’s life are conveyed through an abstract visual medium is beautiful to behold.

Puppet is a fascinating, thought provoking film, with top notch production values and a good balance between showcasing the art, and a discussion of the process and ideas around it.