RUMPELSTILTSKIN
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Well, the folks at the Hystopolis Puppet Theater will have none of this. They adapt fairy tales for only one reason–to provide fun for children. Their current production of Rumpelstiltskin is a delightful three-dimensional cartoon full of foolish characters and genuine slapstick. (In fact, the puppeteers actually use a slapstick for sound effects.) Any attempt to find psychological insight in this production will earn you a trip through the spanking machine.
For me, puppet theater has always conjured up an image of Garfield Goose clacking his beak or Burr Tillstrom’s Ollie biting Kukla’s nose. Puppets seem inherently stiff and phony–creatures only a child could love. However, Hystopolis puppets are very hip. Their creators–Lawrence Basgall, John and Paul Gegenhuber, Cindy Orthal, Michael Schwabe, and Tina Steele–have borrowed ideas from the Muppets, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Looney Tunes, and Kabuki theater.
Hystopolis Productions, located in an attractive new space at 441 W. North, is a haven for anyone with children who could use some entertaining. Sure, the show is as superficial as Saturday-morning cartoons, and the script could use a rewrite or two. In a way, it’s the entertainment equivalent of fast food–not very nutritious, but appealing to kids.
