Aussie puppeteers enthrall Kuching audience

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Sue (right) made up as an old woman helps Coupe (left) get rid of a rat in the puppet show ‘Oh, Rats!’.

Sue (right) made up as an old woman helps Coupe (left) get rid of a rat in the puppet show ‘Oh, Rats!’.

Coupe (left) and Wallace acknowledge the applause of the audience after their puppet show. — Photos Jeffery Mostapa

Coupe (left) and Wallace acknowledge the applause of the audience after their puppet show. — Photos Jeffery Mostapa

Coupe (left) is transformed into a baby by “magic” used by the old woman played by Wallace.

Coupe (left) is transformed into a baby by “magic” used by the old woman played by Wallace.

Coupe and Wallace display their skills through the sausage puppets in the ‘Oh, Rats!’ puppet show playing at the State Tourism Complex.

Coupe and Wallace display their skills through the sausage puppets in the ‘Oh, Rats!’ puppet show playing at the State Tourism Complex.

KUCHING: Australian puppeteers from the Sydney Puppet Theatre Australia captivated Kuching’s audience with their puppet show titled ‘Oh, Rats!’ at the State Tourism complex here yesterday.

Sue Wallace and Steve Coupe were participating at the Rainforest World Puppet Carnival 2015 from Nov 2 to 6.

They were backed up by more than 30 years’ experiences in puppetry.

During the 35-minute performance here, the master puppeteers demonstrated their flawless handling of the puppets while interacting with the audience through their hilarious wit and acting skills.

Coupe told The Borneo Post that they had been conducting puppet shows mostly in schools, theatres and other venues in Australia.

They used to work for a theatre in the heart of Sydney for 12 years but later set up a new theatre half an hour’s drive away from the city.

“We started as actors in the Big Puppeteer in Australia and decided to make a living off it since we liked it so much,” he said.

Wallace chipped in to reveal that it is their first performance here after Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Jarkarta and
Bangkok.

“The audiences are always great – in some shows we could not use much English but here in Sarawak we can as the level of English here is terrific and it is widely spoken,” she said.

Coupe chipped in to say they could not conduct the puppet show in English in Bangkok unless it was in the International School there.

“We played in Bangkok last year minus dialogue but the audience’s response was terrific,” he recalled.

Wallace described puppetry as part of a theatrical play whether in an expensive production or small one.

“We create a little piece of delight for our audience over here,” she said.

They can transform any room or environment into a puppet theatre and they play to family audiences.

‘Oh, Rats!’ was puppetry with magic and a review of various short ideas and story wrapped around ducks, rats, sausages and bags that bond with the storyline.

Wallace said she hoped to return to Kuching and that the puppet carnival could feature prominently in Sarawak as it has the support of the state government.