Fragments & Phantoms - The specific language of puppets Extraits et fantômes : le langage spécifique des marionnettes

UQÀM’s École supérieure de théâtre presents, in association with Casteliers, a conférence by Frank Soehnle

Université du Québec à Montréal’s École supérieure de théâtre presents, in association with Casteliers, a conférence by puppeteer, director and puppet designer Frank Soehnle from Germany’s Figuren Theater Tübingen.

This company has been staging puppet theatre productions for adults – with unique imagery, wordless or eloquent performances and a mixture of traditional and experimental puppetry – for over 22 years. Frank Soehnle’s shows offer a surprising blend of the traditional and the experimental. His performances have transcended genres from the very beginning, using the theatrical figure as a point of intersection between word and image, or music and movement. He is renowned for his unique visual compositions. His performances have little to do with standard theatrical clichés; they are designed to challenge the audience in terms of both content and aesthetics

This talk will document some past activity and offer insights into the methods and issues behind the various productions. Frank Soehnle will also introduce his ways of using string puppets in contemporary theatre.

Presented in English with simultaneous translation into French.