Putney- East meets West in a shadow world where forbidden love and poetry collide. A Chance Shadow is a poetic play inspired by the Chinese poet Xu Zhimo (1897~1931) and the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca (1898~1936) who changed society with their passion for literature, social reform and true love. Two poets who had never met living on opposite sides of the earth, during
the same time come together in this imaginative piece. By using the elements of pop-up art, Shadow Theater and Toy Theater, the show brings the audience into the poets’ romantic and historical worlds.
Presented at Sandglass Theater as part of the New Visions puppetry series. Double Image Theater Lab will be in residence at Sandglass for the week leading up to their performance of “A Chance Shadow” On July 18-19, at 7:30pm. Tickets are $16, $13 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at sandglasstheater.org or by calling(802)387-4051.
With moving objects, shadow and light accompanied by music and dance, the show creates a multidimensional world where images are constantly in motion and the reading of the poetry becomes music notes that conduct the audience’s imagination and emotions. Contrary to traditional shadow theater, where the puppeteers are often hidden behind a screen, the show places the performers on opposite sides of different projected surfaces so the audience is able to observe the puppeteer’s manipulation and see the cinematic
effect at the same time.
Spica Wobbe and Margot Fitzsimons are co-founders of Double Image Theater Lab and co-creators of A Chance Shadow. They met working at the New Victory Theater and immediately bonded over their love of puppetry and poetry and soon after decided to collaborate and create A Chance Shadow. Spica is a puppetry artist originally from Taiwan whose work focuses on experimental puppetry and Xu Zimo is her favorite Chinese poet. Margot is an adventurer of life who spent a year in Spain and was deeply influence by the Spanish culture, especially by the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. Both poets inspired them to use their arts to make the world a better place. In 2009, they began development of A Chance Shadow. The show reflects the cultural differences and the universal human experience as expressed by these poets while immersing the audience in their passion for life, love and freedom.
A Chance Shadow was created in collaboration with the internationally known musician Yukio Tsuji, director Nancy Smithner, award winning lighting designer Joyce Liao and performer Liz Parker. The show has appeared at the New York Voice 4 Vision Puppet Festival (2009, 2011), International Poppentheater Festival in Dordrecjt, Holland (2010), International Festival of Puppet Theater Jerusalem (2011), Puppetry at the Carriage House in New York (2012), Close To You Puppet Festival Taipei, Taiwan (2012) and Puppet Blok, Dixon Place, New York (2013).
Double Image Theater Lab creates work that explores the world of the past and the present though object and light manipulation, music, dance and poetry. By utilizing and developing the abstract elements of puppetry they create poetic and intimate productions. They are the recipients of the Jim Henson Foundation 2012 Seed Grant and the Jim Henson Foundation 2013 Project
Grant for the production of A Chance Shadow. The same project was also developed through a Puppetry at the Carriage House (PATCH) Residency sponsored by Jane Henson in 2012.
