Ok, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but just give me a minute to defend myself here. :)
Kuruma Ningyo is a form of Japanese puppetry that developed in the late Edo period as a derivative of the older and better known Bunraku puppet theater, in which most puppets are manipulated by a total of three handlers, one for each hand and one to operate the feet. Kuruma Ningyo (literally "cart puppets") grew out of the desire to be able to operate these relatively large and mechanically complex puppets single-handedly. This form of puppetry uses the same puppets as Bunraku, but the single puppeteer sits on a small wooden block with wheels (called a rokuro-kuruma) and holds rods on the puppet's feet between his toes so that he can move in unison with the puppet.
I love Kuruma Ningyo because in this form of puppetry the handler and the puppet become one. Bunraku puppets seem to float in the air since one puppeteer is manipulating the feet with his hands. But in Kuruma Ningyo, the puppet master's feet and the puppet's feet move together, allowing the puppet to stomp on the floor and dance with incredible depth of expression.
Nishikawa Koryu V is a true master. You won't regret seeing this performance.
Nishikawa Koryu V is a true master. You won't regret seeing this performance.
Both presentations in Vancouver are FREE!
To register, click here: http://www.vancouver.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/en/culture.htm
I particularly recommend the lecture and workshop, which will offer an inside look at the way the puppets are manipulated, how they work on the inside, and information on Gidayu-bushi, the form of narrative singing and shamisen music (joruri) that provides the story in puppetry performances. (Interpreting provided by yours truly.)
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