Basil+Twist

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You may not recognize the name, but Basil Twist is one of the most accomplished puppeteers working in America today. Born in San Francisco he is a third generation puppeteer. According to his website he is " the only American to graduate from the École Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mezieres, France, one of the world's premiere puppetry training programs." (Basil Twist) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ = Work = According to Linda Yablansky of the Creative Capital Foundation Twist "is building one of the most ambitious and imaginative bodies of work in contemporary puppetry." He has created nine original full scale productions alongside numerous collaborative pieces. Each work is very unique; Twist has been inspired to revive lost forms of puppetry, and create original groudbreaking work, exploring new ways to animate and give life. (Yablansky)

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= Opera: Hansel and Gretel =

Basil Twist had his opera debute with Hansel and Gretel commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera. This project in collaboration with the Jim Henson Company told the classic story of Hansel and Gretel with a grandiose puppet twist. Full sized puppets interacted with singers onstage among large fantastical sets. Twist altered the scale of the production to make the piece seem more magical and larger than life. For instance, the parents of Hansel and Gretel walked on stilts so that the adult actors would seem more childlike.

Taking inspiration from the original Grim's fairy tale this familiar children's story took on a dark undertone. Twists puppets aesthetically looked kid friendly but the performance and manipulation of the puppets created a different subtext. A perfect example (and the hit of the production) was the enormous witch puppet featured heavily in the third act. According to the Houston Chronicle "Twist conceived the witch brilliantly. Its exaggerated height and size, complete with (fully covered) breasts a porn star could covet, created a safe distance for audience members. Yet, the drag-queen quality of so many movements, including a very sexy walk, brought the sexual undertow close to the surface. " (Houston Chronicle)

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ **Ballet: Petrushka**    Petrushka was a original puppet production based off of Stravinskie's Famous Ballet by the same name. The story revolves around a love triangle between the clown Petruska, a ballarina, and a more. Twist represented these three characters using the tradional Japaneese bonraku method. Three puppeteers control each figure. The lead puppeteer controls the head, which leads the figure, another controls both arms, and the third controls the legs. The choreography between all nine puppeteers in this production was outstanding, Twists puppets not only danced (with not half bad technique too) but they defied human limits. The ballarina could slide across the stage on one toe. the Puppets could leap into the air, defying gravity. Check out the video link below to see for yourself. (Basil Twist)

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 * Petrushka Media**

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ = Drag: Arias with a Twist =

When you think drag do you of think of puppetry? Now you will. In "Arias with a Twist" Basil collaborated with the famous drag performer Joey Arias to fuse the worlds of drag and puppetry. The show feature Arias interacting with a number of fantastical sets and puppets created by Twist. According to Playbill.com "The music-filled production boasted Arias' uncanny Billie Holiday-inspired vocals as well as a marionette band of musicians, an alien abduction, poisonous snakes, a Busby Berkeley sequence — and a trip to hell. " This wild production recieved fantastic reviews and enjoyed an extended six month run at the Here Arts Center in NYC. (Basil Twist)



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 * Arias with a Twist Media**

**Musical Theatre: The Adams Family** Twist has just finished working on the puppets for "The Adams Family Musical" which opened on Broadway this April. The show has music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and it stars Nathan Lane. A national tour is expected to be announced soon. (Adams Family) [|Information and Tickets]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ = Abstract Work: Symphonie Fantastique =

media type="custom" key="6064259" "True Magic, its like listening to music with your eyes." -Ben Brantley, The New York Times.

Symphonie Fantastique is Twist's most well known, and in many ways most revolutionary work. This production was the result of three years or research working in abstract puppetry. Twist uses large sheets of fabric, feathers, glitter, hundreds of fun noodles, pieces of plastic, all of these materials come alive inside a 500 gallon tank of water.

Watching the production is like watching a dance. The images created reflect the beautiful quality of the music by Hector Berlioz. Fabric unfolds and comes alive. Shadow screens are used from behind the tank. Images are projected onto the water. Symphonie Fantastique received fantastic reviews, it opened at the Here Arts Center and in 1998 and ran for two years.

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"The fact that puppetry is about life and death and can give us an opening to that frontier is a heavy thing, but that’s also why it makes people happy. It’s a direct connection to the imagination and the experience of being alive.” -Basil Twist (United Artists)

What is amazing about a puppet is its ability to come alive. A puppet in some respects is a paradox because it is both dead and alive simultaneously. Twist is taking this centuries old idea and expanding it into new forms; his work is both ancient and new. At the core of his performance is the puppet coming alive, and thats the magic. Its the connection to life that captures our imaginations and motivates us to create and consume this method of performance.

Which brings me to another paradox. A puppet enables us to look at our lives and to look at our society from a different viewpoint. Ironically, sometimes in order to learn more about the experience of being human, we need to adapt a non human lens to see clearly. Puppets can teach us so much about ourselves and our desires, our hurts. We can project our life into them, and in them we can see a deeper level of ourselves.

Sources: __Basil Twist__. 6 5 2010. 6 5 2010 . Gutierrez, Eric. __unitedstatesartists.org__. 2006. 6 5 2010 . Hetrick, Adam. "Playbill." 6 5 2010 . Houston Chronicle. "HGO's Hansel and Gretel: laughs and subversion." __Houston Chronicle__ (2006). Yablonsky, Linda. "Basil Twist." __Press__. Creative Capital Foundation. 6 5 10 . Young, Alex. __Duke in a New York State of Mind__. 25 10 2009. 6 5 2010 . Brantley, Ben. __The New York Times__. 19 june 2008. 6 5 2010 . __The Adams Family__. 6 5 2010 .

This page by Justin Spooner

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