tandem marionette control

Southwestern Ontario Puppetry Guild members, Tom and Elsie Harrison of Niagara Falls performed throughout Canada and the United States as Harrison Marionettes. They were noted for their craftsmanship, detailed costuming and creative staging. They also gave workshops in construction and costuming at several national festivals. Both Tom and Elsie were named Honourary Members of the Ontario Puppetry Association.

Adapted from Figuratively Speaking : Puppetry in Ontario by Ken McKay, copyright 1990. Courtesy of the Ontario Puppetry Association and Ken McKay.

(Alternate name: String Puppet)

This category of puppet is controlled from above using strings. Marionettes are usually fully articulated, with strings linking the different parts of the body - head, torso, arms, legs - to a hand-held "control". Several different types of controls exist, with various degrees of complexity (vertical, horizontal, angled). Marionettes can be made of a wide range of materials: wood, paper, fabric, foam rubber, etc.

Tandem Marionette

Marionette combining two characters - sometimes more - which are usually placed side by side and attached to the same control. This type of puppet is most often used when similar characters must make identical movements; e.g., a corps de ballet.

Trick Marionette

A marionette constructed and strung in a way that allows it to perform precise and intricate activities (e.g., juggling, performing complex manoeuvres on a trapeze), or to transform (e.g., when one character changes into another). In the latter case, it should be noted that the term "transformation marionette" can also be used.