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Puppets
in the making
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Groups
of volunteers have been working hard to add the finishing
touches to five colossal carnival puppets.
 For
nearly two months, the five teams have been slaving away
sewing, sticking, bending, pushing and gaffer taping all
manner of materials together to make sure the 20ft giants
look and move just right.
And next month they will enjoy the fruits of their labour
when the stunning creations wow the crowds at the Lord
Mayor’s Street Procession.
Helen Selleck, event manager for Norwich City Council,
which is organising the procession, said the puppets would
bring an entirely new dimension to the centuries-old carnival.
“It’s been a huge challenge for the groups
but they have taken to it really well,” she said.
“When people see these things walking up the road
20ft high with their arms swinging, it’s going to
be stunning.”
Colleague Harriet Johnson said she was sure they would
“blow people’s minds”.
The puppets have been made possible by a £10,000
grant from Watercities International.
The groups have been creating them at the Factory off
Hall Road, which has been lent to them free of charge
by Target Follow.
 It
is the first time such an undertaking has been made for
the popular annual event, this year being held on Saturday,
July 9.
To help the five groups pull it off in style, the organisers
have drafted in Dutch performance company Monstoerverbond,
which specialises in giant puppetry.
Company director Casper Oorthuijs said the groups had
worked incredibly well in making the puppets, but would
now have to work hard on motion.
“When people first see these the puppets they are
overwhelmed,” he said. “But you also need
to convince them that they are alive through movement.
That is the magic about them.”
If they prove a success, the puppets look set to become
a regular feature of the carnival.
Liz Parker, 30, who has a lot of experience in carnival
costume making and is part of the pro-Fair Trade Phoenix
Group, said she was thrilled to be working on something
completely new.
“This is such a great opportunity to work with new
artists and get different ideas of ways to make costumes,”
she said. “I’m hoping people will be really
impressed.”
The five puppets are based around the theme of water and
are of Lord Nelson, Neptune, a phoenix, an octopus and
Blue Meanie from the Yellow Submarine.
The Nelson and Neptune puppets will be on display in the
Forum for the week leading up to the event.
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 >Over
to you
Are you working on costumes
or floats for the Procession? Send us your pictures
and we'll put them online . . . |
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