Determination Puppet
– Atom
In collaboration with Mike Pattison.
The teenager to the Fascination Puppet. A 9ft rod puppet which was the template for a residency at Slip 6, Chatham, 2011 involving Imagination partners.
The first Determination Puppet was named Atom by young people of the Brighton Partnership on his first trip out.
My goal for Atom was to have a larger than life figure which required focus and athleticism from it’s puppeteers creating a vibrant and responsive character.
The internal skeleton is constructed from PVC pipe with robust and mobile joints. The puppet attaches from it’s lower back via parallel rods to a harness worn by the central performer. One controller rod gives a fluid waist pivot whilst another controls the head.
There are rods attached to both legs and controls on elbows and hands, so 5 puppeteers in total are required.
I have run puppetry workshops all over the country with Atom, a process which continually helps me develop my skills and also learn about the human body.