Puppets tell story of a missing sock
Everyone has lost a sock once in their life, but they probably haven’t really thought what that might mean to the other sock in the pair. Just what it means to be a sock missing its other half, and the resultant adventure when one half of a pair goes looking for the other half, is given an imaginative twist when Tusk Puppets’ show The Lost Sock opens in New Plymouth this weekend.
Founding members of Christchurch-based company Tusk Puppets Rebekah Head and Edwin Beats will be joined on the 4th Wall Theatre stage by New Plymouth actor and puppeteer Martin Quicke for the fun, 40-minute musical adventure packed with puppets and songs.
While it is the first time Tusk Puppets have been on stage in New Plymouth, audiences are likely to recognise Rebekah, who played Glinda in New Plymouth Operatic Society’s production of Wicked last year.
That role required Rebekah to fly above the stage in a bubble, and this production is just as, if not more, demanding physically, she says.
“Puppeteering is surprisingly physical, and I really enjoy the specificity of puppetry. When I started at Whoa (Rebekah was a resident puppeteer at Auckland’s Whoa! Studios between 2017 and 2019) I thought, oh yes, this is something I can do, but there is so much to learn and know, it really is a specific skill.”
Edwin says while all actors are taught about the importance of warming up before a performance, puppetry leaves no room for slacking.
“At drama school, there is a real emphasis on warming up, but the reality is not all actors always do it before every show perhaps, in puppeteering, however, you just can’t afford that complacency.”
With multiple puppets on stage in The Lost Sock, Edwin and Rebekah are often changing between the individual character voices and actions.
“Sometimes we are cueing ourselves,” says Rebekah, as one character operated by a puppeteer is replying to another character operated by the same puppeteer.
The storyline of the show follows the adventures of Jo, a lovable blue
sock, as they go on a quest to find their missing best friend, Wizz.
Edwin says Jo and Wizz’s names are deliberately non-gendered.
“It’s all about accessibility. So any actor can play them, it doesn’t have to be a specific voice or gender. Also, this way all children can see themselves as the hero of the story and relate to Jo and Wizz.”
Part of the magic of puppets is that the audience uses their own imagination, says Edwin, making each person’s experience of the show unique.
The plot is based on an original story by Charlotte Thomas and has been adapted by Tusk Puppets and Andy Manning. Edwin says there are a lot of themes in the story that will resonate with a young audience.
“It’s about resilience, learning to cope with change, and also about friendship.”
What it isn’t, he says, is a fairytale. “I really love the originality of this show. I think a lot of children’s shows tend to be the same storyline really, there is a prince or a princess, those shows are fun, but it’s good to have something different.”
It’s relatable too, says Rebekah. “I think everyone has lost a sock at some time.”
The show was devised during lockdown, and that is reflected in some of the lyrics of the songs written by Andy and herself, she says.
“There’s one part, where the lyrics are about just staying safe, just stay home, and you think, oh yes, I wonder what was happening when this was written.”
Edwin says Martin joining the cast for the New Plymouth shows was a perfect choice. “He fits the pyjamas, literally and figuratively speaking.”
While the show is recommended for tamariki aged 5 - 9, people of all ages will find something to relate to and laugh at in the show, says Rebekah. An adults-only version of the show is also playing on Saturday and Sunday evenings.