Puppet Circus

After having mesmerised the audience in more than 30 countries,Karromato — a traditional marionette theatre group from Czech Republic — was a hit in in the Capital too,as they brought customary circus acts on the stage as a part of the ongoing Delhi International Arts Festival. Each handcrafted puppet had a unique personality of its own — they tamed wild animals and performed acrobatics. And of course,there was the clown without whom any circus act is incomplete. The performance was accompanied by 200-year-old traditional music from the country playing in the background.

Luis Montoto,creator and director of the act,said that puppetry is not only used to entertain people,but also plays an integral role in introducing people to culture and propogate social integration. He added that the response of the audience in India has left him surprised. “In Europe,puppet theatre is mostly performed for family and schools. Apart from Rajasthani puppetry,there is no big tradition for puppets over here. Still,everyone — be it adults or children — watched the performance with curiosity,” said the 50-year-old puppeteer.

Montoto’s family travels around the globe to spread awareness about the Czech marionette puppetry. “Puppet theatre is falling prey to modern advancements. We construct our own puppets in our workshops and our aim is to keep the classic traditions of marionette theatre alive for the new generation to carry forward,” he concluded.