Applied Puppetry

Matt Smith is Reader in Applied Theatre and Puppetry at the University of Portsmouth, UK, prior to that having spent 20 years as a community artist. During this time, he worked with schools, youth groups, children in care, special needs groups, prisons, hospitals, environmental agencies and the homeless. He has published a number of journal articles on applied puppetry.

• Notes on the textIntroduction: My Personal Context, Hands on, Broken Puppets, Objects with Objectives, Definitions, Power and Theories, Borders, Psychogeography, Waste, Ecology, Scale, Anthropomorphism and Materialism.1. Objects Speaking for Themselves: Mapping the Field of Applied Puppetry2. Thinking with Ecology: New Paradigms in Material Performance3. Thingness, Puppethood and Violence: The Materiality of Performing Objects4. Puppet Power in Intercultural Practices: Communities, Ethics and Representation.5. Plastics Talking About Plastics: Marlsite Projects and Ecological Puppetry6. Puppetry in HMP Haslar IRC: Working with Marginalised and Vulnerable Participants7. Participatory Ecologies: Toy Theatres, Kamishibai and Puppet City8. Talking to Roots: Kinship with the More than Human Envoi - Sharing Spaces with Objects: Listening, Caves, Ephemera, Popularity, Reciprocity and ChimaerasExercises Notes References Index

A significant contribution to puppetry and theatre studies: a thoughtful, wide-ranging, and challenging book which achieves an impressive integration of practice and theory. Smith’s long experience in the field lends authority, honesty, and genuine reflection.