Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Lola Unplugged



Some good news: Eating with Lola will be showcased at the Next Stage Festival in January 2011.

Bad news: I can not, I must not, go onstage with a puppet I bought in a store.

Don't get me wrong, though. I do love Lola 1.0 very much. You might not think so considering how I've sewn her mouth shut, sliced the back of her neck and stuffed her into a wire basket en route to rehearsals at fu-GEN.

Now, armed with some tips from my director, Ann Powell of the Puppetmongers and an assortment of knick-knacks from Walmart crafts section, I am ready to produce Lola 2.0.

Some changes:

*As per Theatre Passe Muraille's AD, Andy McKim's suggestion, I chose eyes that weren't too wide and starry. I've opted for ones that are beady to make you question how well Lola can see.




*She now has a severe under bite. I always pictured her like this in my head. This will change the way she speaks now. Since she suffers from a stroke in the play, this may be due to facial paralysis.

*As per Ann Powell's suggestion, I have taken all stuffing out of her arms so that she can be more flexible. She just has beads as weights in her palms and a joint in her elbow.

Let's see how she works.

Thanks to my partner, Pavey, for helping me with the sewing ideas and cheering me (the anti-Martha Stewart) on. Phew!