Marking the 25th anniversary of Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes, the Acclaimed puppeteer is currently performing at Arts Centre Melbourne with his new creation Penny Plain.
Penny Plain is peopled with characters hiding from an apocalyptic world where technology has destroyed everything they know and it explores the impact of the collapse of their environment on them.
Penny Plain is blind, but she hears plenty about the state of things and the fate of mankind. Alone after her guide dog companion Geoffrey leaves to become a gentleman, Penny sits waiting for the world to end.
However, her vigil is interrupted by the many quirky characters who use her boarding house as a sanctuary, including a serial killer, a cross-dressing banker, talking dogs and a host of other mysterious strangers.
Part-gothic thriller, part-apocalyptic drawing room comedy, Penny Plain shows the horribly funny consequences of Mother Earth reclaiming her ground. With a breathtaking set and marionettes designed by Ronnie Burkett himself, this production consolidates Burkett’s reputation as one of the modern masters of puppetry.
Canada’s foremost artist in puppet theatre, Ronnie Burkett has been credited with creating some of the world’s most elaborate and provocative puppetry. Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes, formed in 1986 and has stimulated an unprecedented adult audience for puppet theatre.
The Emmy Award-winning Burkett has received numerous awards as a playwright, actor and designer for his work with Theatre of Marionettes, including the 2009 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre and Village Voice OBIE Award in New York for Off-Broadway Theatre, and four Citations of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette.
Penny Plain follows the success of Tinka’s New Dress, Provenance and Billy Twinkle which delighted adult Melbourne audiences.
The best of Burkett, Penny Plain is definitely at the top of the canon…layered with meaning and symbolism. Edmonton Sun (Canada)
Penny Plain
Fairfax Studio – Arts Centre Melbourne
Season continues to 18 August 2013
Bookings: 1300 182 183 or online at: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
For more information, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.
