PUPPETS MADE FOR OUR SHOWS
Since the company began in 2009, Sparkle and Dark have always designed and made their puppets to uniquely fit in with each production. The methods of manipulation and movement have developed through play, devising and constant close comunication between puppeteer and puppet maker. So here follows the stars of Sparkle and Dark's past and present shows!
Roger
Our main man from our current touring production of KILLING ROGER.
He is life-sized, fully articulated puppet operated by two puppeteers whilst sat down in the show, although he could also be fully puppeteered to walk by four puppeteers!
Ike
One of the main characters from THE GIRL WITH NO HEART.
Ike is a spritely feral little boy, who needed to move swiftly and dexterously about the stage, express a wide range of emotion and also be able to fold complex origami live on stage! We acheived this by making him a half-worn puppet puppeteered by two performers whose hands were his hands, and so he could fold.
Shimbo
One of the main characters from THE GIRL WITH NO HEART.
Shimbo needed the use of at least one hand and needed to also be puppeteered by one performer. The character also needed to have a hunched back, built from bamboo and pape. So, Shimbo was constructed with his hunched-back worn like a harness with the puppeteer controlling the head in one hand!
Shimbo is one of our favourites and currently lives on top of our fridge...
Shadow and paper
Complex body, object, origami and body shadow puppetry was used in THE GIRL WITH NO HEART.
We used a mixture of OHP and hand held light sources behind a fabric shadow screen.
The Clockwork Girl
One of the first puppets made the company, the Clockwork Girl is one of the stars of THE CLOCK MASTER
Operated with three puppeteers in a bunraku style, the Clockwork Girl was made using bamboo, chicken wire, papier mache, light weight resign and miliput.
Mo and Bruiser the dog
Another two of our favourite ever Sparkle and Dark creations! Mo and Bruiser are also from THE CLOCK MASTER.
Mo consisted of a head and two gloved hands, and Bruiser is made from a scarf! And yet the two characters were able to carry out sword fights, somersuaults and yet evoke a wide range of emotions.
The Two Headed Witch
Two (or one?) of the villains from THE CLOCK MASTER.
The Two Heads begin as one face,but split apart to become swirling, swooping, bickering and boisterous witches with a few nasty tricks up their sleeves...