Illustration not to scale: for guidance only.
This page is split into three sections: how to build a large pipework stage, combining a portable stage with scenery and how to use scenery generally.
Use this link to scroll to the second section, and this link to scroll to the scenery section.
Or How to Keep Out Of Sight
Illustration not to scale: for guidance only.
The stage design is simple to make, and easy to assemble and disassemble for shows. It is made from PVC wastepipe, available at most DIY stores. You will require: 16 x T-pieces, 8 x 90 degree bends and sufficient lengths of piping. As a guide, a stage for up to 10 puppeteers on two levels needs to be 2 metres wide, and about the same deep. The front section should be 1.2m high, with each section being about 60cm higher than the last. This is to enable sufficient background for your puppets to work against, and sufficient 'head' room for the puppeteers.
With age, we have found that some of the longer poles have started to curve under the weight of the fabric or scenery. We have used additional pipe props to support them, jointing them in the centre of the front and back sections, but making sure they are removable in the centre section. This ensures with lighter scenery, the props do not get in the way of the puppeteer's movements.
The curtaining to cover the stage can be any colour. It's only requirement is that it is opaque: there's no real point of having curtains if you can see through them... There's actually another requirement: can you see the puppets against it? We use a sky blue colour, and this performs very well. If fluorescent puppets and 'black' (UV) light is used, a black background gives the best results. For a stage with the dimensions above, at least 40 metres of material will be required, more if 'nice' pleats are required. The tubes making up the frame can be inserted into pockets along the top (and indeed the bottom) of the curtains. Doorways at the sides are made with two sections of material overlapped in opposite fashion top and bottom, so that the opening always shuts after you. This conserves the 'magic' of puppetry, but does serve a problem to the unwary puppeteer who trips over the bottom of the curtain on entering, pulling the whole stage with him/her.
Our stage cost about seventy five pounds in all (1998/9 prices...) - about half the price of commercially available sets. Admittedly, we used the cheapest material we could find on the market (50p a yard with bulk discount), and the main part of the price was the PVC pipework. We have found the design to be extremely versatile and mobile. More expensive material will give a better appearance, but will obviously increase the cost of the project somewhat.
You will find that eventually there are more puppeteers, more puppets and more props than can fit in a stage described above. It's time to extend, and create a green room. This can be achieved in a variety of methods, most of which have included bamboo poles, masking tape and bits of string, not forgetting the odd candlestick. A lot depends on the local fixtures, and methods of fixing material up at the sides or back of the main stage are numerous. Just make sure nothing backstage can be seen, and that nothing is likely to collapse if knocked inadvertently by a puppeteer tripping over a doorway.
We have recently needed to build a second (smaller) stage along the lines of the waste pipe design. This enables us to construct a rigid "Punch & Judy" style staging, which we convert into a 'widescreen TV' format with scenery. It's also been ideal for smaller performances, and fits easily into a Ford Fiesta.
This set was used for our 'Junior Olympics Fun Weekend' in 2000. It is constructed from painted MDF, and hinged to allow it to fold into the back of a car. The front 'wall' is also hinged in the middle to allow the panel to fold in a concertina effect. The back is kept rigid using the 'Junior Olympics' arch. The two alcove windows have curtain rails holding the backing fabric away from the walls to allow puppets to perform through the windows and the puppeteer movements behind stage not to be observed.
By using various sporting paraphernalia, we bring the sights (and smells) of the Olympic locker room to life, and draw the audience into the set. It also allows you to disguise the sections of the stage walls, and soften some of the edges.
The stadium visible through the archway, as well as all the text, was printed onto A4 paper using a PC and inkjet printer with an enlargement facility. This means that the pages have to be assembled into poster format. We stuck them to the stage with a covering of clear sticky backed plastic for longevity and water-fastness. The background was also covered in plastic to prevent wear and tear while we were using it.
Hopefully, you can see how relatively straight forward combining a stage with your scenery can be!
Or 'How to be somewhere else without leaving the room'.
Scenery and props are unsurprisingly important in putting across a message or complimenting the puppet's performance. Plain ordinary curtaining is fine for some sketches, but is hardly complimentary to others. Below are a number of ideas we have had in the past few years for simple scenery or props.
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Backgrounds |
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A HARDBOARD CAFETERIA/SODA SHOP |
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If you have constructed your staging as described in the stage construction page, you will be able to easily construct scenery that can be quickly taken down, easily transported and is highly effective in convincing the audience they are in another place. Using sheets of hardboard or thin plywood, build your backdrop. Connect this to your pipe stage using commercially available clips, designed to attach the waste pipe to walls. These are relatively inexpensive, and readily available from the shop that sold you the waste pipe. By using two or three sections you will be able to transport the scene in the back of a car. Should you wish to include a window, we suggest putting some form of clear plastic behind to give the impression of glass. A blank hole where the pane should be looks like it is exactly that! Doorways should have their own section, and if possible need to be at one corner as the hinge portion will require more support. Shelves can be added by hooking them over the top of the scenery on to your stage. Make sure that anything placed on these shelves is light, as inevitably it will fall off at some point when the stage is knocked! A bar can be added, again using plywood, in an L-shaped fashion tied through your backdrop with string. Depending on what you put on your bar, it may need support from underneath - we use a microphone stand. |
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A TROPICAL PARADISE |
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Click on diagrams for enlarged view
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In this section we'll show you how we created the tropical paradise as seen in our sketch on television in 1996. By making two palm trees we managed to give the impression of a tropical island. They are simple to make, requiring two shades of green paper, a dark brown paper, a pair of scissors and a stapler. The paper you require are large A2 size, available from most art supply shops. Start by cutting a rectangular piece of brown paper about 12 inches across and as long as the sheet of paper. Make diagonal cuts around four to five inches apart along each edge of the rectangle to about a third of the paper's width each side. Curl the bottom corners of each cut together until they overlap and form a V shape. Staple together. This forms the trunk section of the tree and further sections can be added to make the height you require. To make the palm fronds cut out oval shapes from the two shades of green paper, of slightly varying widths. You should get several fronds per sheet. Fold each frond in half lengthways, and cut inch wide diagonal strips to within two inches of the centre. Staple several fronds of different shades to the top of each tree. They will curve slightly to give a good palm tree effect. If extra rigidity is needed, stiff wire can be incorporated into the design. |
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A LIVING ROOM |
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A more elaborate living room set can be constructed along the lines of the cafe described above. It is even possible to attach flying ducks to the backdrop if this is your idea of fashion! However, we create a living room with just a winged chair and a picture on the wall. The picture is easy enough to produce, and can either be clipped directly to the curtaining or can be tied to part of the staging. If all else fails, use a piece of string tied to a brick on the floor. The winged chair can be constructed using the instructions below (flat 3D section). If a fireplace is needed, just add a chimney breast and mantle piece (with trinkets and carriage clock). There is no real need to add the flames as the puppet height means the actual fire is below stage height. A small piece of plywood on the edge of the stage, suitably covered makes a good occasional table. A telephone can be put on this table as well if necessary - I'm told it doesn't take much to set it up to ring either, but I don't yet know how… |
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Foregrounds |
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A BAR |
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If you have a backdrop, you can carry the scenery further forward to the front curtain as well. How about putting some barstools next to the bar? Use the Flat 3D section to see how to do it. You could also put a small piece of hardboard on the front edge of the stage with a tablecloth over it as a place for an 'extra' to sit. |
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A WIDESCREEN VIDEO JUKEBOX |
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If you have a separate stage for songs as part of your scenery, pad out the staging a little with a frame made of card or wood. By making it look like a TV screen, it can be passed off as a video jukebox. In most performances, it will be better to have a light coloured 'ceiling' over the stage, as well as sides, so as to increase the appearance of the TV studio, rather than seeing the church beyond the TV screen… |
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Alternative Puppets |
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BARBERSHOP QUARTET |
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Using a fine pair of legs per (human) performer, along with white shirt, bow tie and straw boater, stand behind stage, with the legs attached at about mid-torso height. With towels and the straw boaters, you have plenty of scope to perform barbershop routines. Don't forget to move the legs - try crossing and uncrossing them in time to the music, or even a Mexican wave. Rest you hands occasionally on your knees. |
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