Last week, when Janni Younge's "Firebird" opened a 10-meter wing exhibition and sprayed fire on performers dancing at their feet, the flame licked the edge of the main stage of the National Festival.
Just a few minutes ago, the entire 200 kg structure of wood and paper, built of aluminum, goat skin, copper-hidden in a giant egg, in an hour, it hangs on the raf of the stage --
Long production, the projector screen as a handheld display doubled
Animation visual effects.
Younge's ambitious creation is just one of the handmade mythical creatures in her reinterpretation of the folk inspiration and passion story "Firebird" of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.
Throughout the course of our work, we met some smaller birds and dragons, dancing creatures and some pretty magical horned buck, but the Firebird itself was unusual, it takes puppet art to a level that has never been seen so far in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.
It took her team 40 weeks to create a magnificent puppet that will be taken to a 4-
Travel through American outdoor parks and amphitheater.
Firebird also marks the award.
Since stepping down as a director of the famous puppet company in 2014, it has won the return of puppet creators themselves.
She told me that the first puppet she made this week in Grahamstown was also a dragon-you will see this kind of dragon in your gloves --
A drop of puppet theater-down mouth.
"I really like the puppet. I carry it everywhere.
"The Firebird is much bigger than that one.
Is she ready for the challenge?
"Not a long way.
This is beyond our experience.
It's not just the challenge of 14 performers and a dragon on the stage, but the logistical support and timing of these venues, which is outrageous. ” She laughs.
"But we are. . .
What do they say?
Rise to the occasion.
"There is no plan for the trip to South Africa, but please visit janniyounge.