Theatre review: Open-ended challenges in Puppet Origin Stories that linger Chai Jean Vinn a play on Lewis Car sdow in Haiti Cromo’s Jabber Charmaine Lim PUBLISHED NOV 2022.5.00 Puppet Origin Stories The Finger Players One-Two-Six Cairnhill Arts Centre Last Wednesday, 8pm Nothing is off limits with The Finger Players’ (TFP) Puppet Origin Stories as it explores childhood fears, the death of art forms and gay activism. ‘The puppet theatre company invited three guest artists to create short works of 40 minutes each and they have woven in thoughtful questions The puppets presented are not just characters in a story, but also pieces of TFP history, brought back to centre stage. Those familiar with previous productions might recognise the puppets Ah Ma, Moon Child or Sponge Girl as they tell new stories while reminiscing old ones. Suck Sweat Dry Baby! by drag queen Eugene Tan, also known as Becca D’Bus, questions the space that queer bodies and stories are allowed to inhabit. Set toa playlist of Johnny Cash songs, fragments of larger conversations are played out in humorous yet sad tones. An RIS rating has been given to the show because of homosexual themes in this piece. It opens with Becca in a corset as Cash's cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails plays overhead. Actors Deon Yang and Mitchell Fang slowly tighten the corset, provoking questions about physical pain, loss and public perception. Within the LGBTQ+ community, these questions take on a darker tone. The lyrics “I hurt myself today, to see if| still feel” and “everyone I know goes away in the end” stand out, in particular, as commentary on the costs of discrimination for members of the queer community, who hurt themselves literally or metaphorically to cope with oppression or who feel trapped by the silent conformity of heteronormative relationships. ‘The piece culminates with Yang and Fang wrapping pride flags around their faces before getting hot and heavy, only to later remove the flags and resume appearances of straightness. This poignant moment suggests the injustice when one’s true self can be revealed only as a temporary mask. The non-linear and choppy scenes, however, merely present snippets of closeted experiences without an overarching storyline. ‘This is in contrast to film-maker Tan Wei Ting’s emotional story of Ah Ma, which revolves around a puppet which wakes in a museum, unable to escape and return to the life and puppeteer she loves. Ah Ma fat It is heart-wrenching to hear Ah Ma tearfully question why she is locked in a cold glass case. Despite explanations from her puppeteer, played by TFP co-founder Tan Beng Tian, Ah Mais at the mercy of a curator, played by Yazid Jalil, who believes there is no longer room for the art of puppetry. The combination of masterful puppetry and Ah Ma’s voice filling the room creates the most immersive experience of the night. The production does a wonderful job of creating connections with the characters, specifically the titular puppet. Witty dialogue, which occasionally breaks the fourth wall, provides humorous reprieves from Ah Ma's sorrow. The piece prompts viewers to wonder if anyone has the right to declare an art form dead. Hairi Cromo’s Jabber plays on English author Lewis Carroll's classic nonsense poem Jabberwocky. Featuring puppet Poh as a young student anda mysterious faceless creature named Shadow (Chai Jean Yinn), the story unravels childhood experiences of learning to identify emotions and facing one’s fears. ‘The marvel here is the movement work. Elements of Hairi’s background in Malay, urban and contemporary dance come through strongly in his choreography of Shadow’s movements. This is heightened by Chai’s masterful elegance and dedication to the character as she slips in and around the set effortlessly. Puppeteer Liew Jia Yias Poh captures all the familiar actions and intonations of a young child. As the two characters tangle in a dance of unspoken emotional turmoil, a greater story unfolds - one that asks whether anyone truly faces their demons. As the only production to be set outside the building, this tale takes on an eerie air. The creature's dialogue is overlaid with a higher-pitched voice, much like horror movies use during a demonic possession. The creepy whispers and chants interspersed in the music are spine-tingling. Each work provokes unanswered questions as parting gifts which ensure these stories linger long after they end.