JOY RUMMAGE

On one of those hot summer days in 2022 a group called Murmuration held a Joy Rummage.

A playtime, an improvisation of puppets and musicians, a jamming in the humdrum, a feasting in the fear, a dancing in the dust... a love story of 2 snails, a handstand dance, a giant hairy egg… and much more all in West Park.

The puppets made from sponge, carved with scissors and meat cutters, covered in latex, scrim and colour, are easy to manipulate creatures. Creatures have any number of limbs, strange facial features and may be literal or abstract, so they best express what joy might mean to each creator.

During the Covid years, the experience of so many restrictions, the lack of convivial gatherings, and the general depletion, we missed colour, connection, collaborations, dancing, hugs, intimacy, comedy, and communal joy.

Joy Rummage aims to remedy some of this. Exploring individual emotion, movement and group interactions. We enjoy developing old stories and trying out new ones. We might make a duet with swanny whistles as the puppet long line dances. We enjoy interactions with the audience, some of whom try out a puppet. The sense of growing connections between us, them and our puppet or instrument is the something we most love.

Big thanks to Puppeteers Liz Dorton, Anna Hembury, Jade Seath, Ella Dorton, Paula Chearman, Daniel Arce, and Musicians Dan Seath, Nathan Kirby, Hal Newman, Charlie Eden and Antonia Walsh Liz Dorton