Round the World in a Tea-Kettle

Where and When? See in the programme...

Puppet performance inspired by a story of Edward Lear

Authors: Michaela Bartonova, Ralf Lucke

Directing: Mark Pitman
Design of stage and puppets: Michela Bartonova
Carver: Martin Kadlec
Music: Vitezslav Janda
Performing: Michaela Bartonova a Ralf Lucke
With finance support of the Czech-German Fund for the Future and the Prague City Hall

Edward Lear was an English writer, traveller and illustrator, best known for his nonsense poems and prose. But Lear is most famous for his absurd and funny short limerics which he popularised and which inspired our production. We have based our ideas on his account of the travels of Kudykam and Tudytam who went around the world in a tea-kettle. The two chaps visit many obscure places: an island with sleeping parrots, a fruit drop tree, a blue bottle tower with blue bottle flies... The absurd fantasy surrounding their visits become in the hands of the puppeteers visual limerics in the spirit of Edward Lear. As we perform we play, we draw and we create. Images and pictures, puppets and shadows, all merge as humour turns into surprise, accompanied by joyful music. Both young and old will enjoy our absurd world of make believe as we play with the audience and make things up on the spot just for fun.

Video from rehearsal