puppetry

We are all made of air. The whole world is made of air. We are not so separate.

So, take a deep breath and enjoy this new production. You will see air with different eyes. Can we see it at all? Can we capture air? How can we protect it?

Breathe out and find out.

Something In The Air is a site-specific, family performance for children aged 4 to 8. Working as a collaborating designer on development of this devised performance alongside director Sue Buckmaster, the design process started with exploring air as a material and our relationship with it. Air in its multifaceted presence in our daily life is weaved into a narrative fusing puppetry, object manipulation, costume and set design.

Material experimentation and making is an integral part of the design process. For this project, a key decision is made early on not to use PVC - a common material used in inflatables which is toxic. This leads to the use of TPU, a recyclable thermoplastic that has been mainly used in packcraft and water sports equipment. A range of inflatable ‘plants’ - including both fan-powered inflatables as well as air-filled TPU inflatables - are integrated into the overall scenography.

The costume design features a concertina-like ‘pump’ attached to different parts of the body to externalise the idea of a breathing organ worn by the three Air Keepers. Made from folded paper and fabric, these body pumps are connected to the costume using magnets and can be taken out as standalone objects.

Something In The Air  is performed at the Schauspielhaus’ new theatre space Theaterrevier, which is dedicated to presenting work for children and young people.