Puppetry Project, RWCMD
MAKER, DESIGNER, PERFORMER – Giant
Directed by Lucy Hall and Dik Downey
Scenography/Giant designed and made in collaboration with Ola Ebbutt, Rosie Underwood, and Maisie Frater
Production made in collaboration with students at RWCMD
Production Photography by Kristen McTernan
The Puppetry Project at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is an annual eight-week devised and collaborative production undertaken by first year bachelor and master students, facilitated by tutors and industry professionals.
GIANT! was presented at the Old Library in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales in the summer of 2023.
The project was inspired by medieval visuals and explored ecological related themes such as classism, distribution of wealth, ownership and destruction of land, power, colonization, and liberation.
The story followed the Lord who tries in numerous ways to eliminate the Giant who sleeps on his land. However, unbeknownst to the Lord, each night local villagers heal the Giant from the previous day’s attacks from the Lord’s Men. Narrated by the Jester, the story progresses from day to night and portrays various scenes of local village life including farming, baking, hunting, feasting, and gardening. In the end, the villagers rescue the Giant and celebrate spring, the Jester makes a fool of themself, and the Lord becomes no more than a puppet for the Jester’s tomfoolery.
MAKING PROCESS
As a group leader Abi collaborated in the design and make of the Giant! This was both the scenography for the performance and culminated in a giant puppet. The giant was made from reclaimed materials including foam, electrical pipes and sourced textiles that were hand dyed.
