Puppets piquing imagination at Haya Theatre Festival

AMMAN — Words can sometimes be confusing for theatre goers, but images can be a stronger tool  to encourage spectators to  be more curious and further expand their imagination, said Bernd Ogrodnik, a puppet builder and performer. 

Ogrodnik, who took part in this year’s Haya Theatre Festival through a puppet performance titled “Metamorphosis”, said he feels like words can be “very confusing”, and it is more powerful to skip the words and let the puppets “breathe and tell the stories with images”. 

“Imagination is the strongest tool conveyed by puppets. When people are exposed to pictures, they take them home. You do not just leave the theatre and forget about the images you saw,” he told The Jordan Times in a recent interview. 

Metamorphosis, which is presented by Worlds of Puppets, is part of a series of performances introduced by the Haya Theatre Festival, which runs through November 11.  

The show is a series of original stories told through the “metaphorical grace of puppets”. Presented without words, these stories rely on the dynamic imagery and surrealism of puppetry, according to organisers. 

Worlds of Puppets, which created the show, serves as a production company of performances and special creations of puppets, marionettes and masks for theatre, opera, film and television, according to their official website. 

Ogrodnik, who founded Worlds of Puppets, has been a prominent figure in the world of puppetry since 1986. He is the artistic director and co-founder of the Icelandic Centre for Puppetry Arts and serves as the master puppeteer for the National Theatre of Iceland.  

He described the Jordanian audience as different compared to other counties in the world giving the fact that there is little experience of puppets in the Kingdom. 

“It is different [here], there is little experience in puppetry here and this show for normal puppetry audience is unusual,” he added.  

The Icelandic artist said the very nice element among Jordanians is that people are very focused during the performance. 

“Because it is silent and no one talks and they are unsure [of wether] it is okay to laugh or not,” he said with a smile.  

Hildur M. Jonsdottir, executive director and project manager, agreed, adding that it took them a while to understand their audience as well. 

 “This show is assigned for six years and older which means six-year-olds and adults are not aware that puppetry can be for adults and this show roots back to a very old tradition in the puppetry art form,” Ogrodnik added. 

Commenting on the show’s technique that excludes conversation, he said the responsibility goes to the puppet itself, which is manipulated by the puppeteer.   

 “We have as performers a very big responsibility to do something that really matters that can be pure joy, something going to the heart,” he added. 

Jonsdottir noted that in different parts of the world, people interpreted stories very differently. 

Ogrodnik said that they want to send messages of love, compassion and kindness through their show, elements that are very important during this time of conflicts and instability. 

 “We come to realise it is not only this region, conflicts are the same,” he added. 

Kindness, openness and warm hearts of Jordanians fascinated him a lot, he said, adding that his visit to Petra and Wadi Rum inspired him.