Paloma and the Do of Death

A cast of driftwood marionettes are set to star in Paloma and the Do of Death, a puppet show set to tour New Zealand this March and April. I have put a heap of energy, time and money into this project, and now am asking supporters to get us on the road. Your contributions will mean we can pay the costs of festival entries ($650 all up) as well going some way towards the travel costs (4200 kilometres and two ferries = minimum $1590). Your generosity will allow us to share a unique puppet experience to a broad range of people.

The show will premiere in Wellington at the NZ Fringe, before heading to Lyttelton, the Dunedin Fringe, Papatowai, Hokitika and Barrytown, and eventually journeying back up to Auckland. We will be taking it to two art galleries, a pub, two schools, a theatre and a community hall - 17 shows in all, over 30 days. The show represents a couple of years worth of construction, devising and creating - and the result is something pretty unique!

The plot revolves around Paloma, an elderly castaway, and a group of grim reapers - who turn up to her tropical island for a staff party. The reapers are enjoying their first proper day off since the dawn of time, so, Paloma is not the top of their agenda. But when one reaper hasn’t met his KPIs, and is barred from entry, Paloma’s soul is on the line. Will the fragile relationship between the living and Death last the duration of the party?

I was teaching in Hokitika in 2018, and we started making puppets with my senior art class. I think I got the puppet fever then, and spent the next year fossicking for driftwood and other material, carving, stringing-up, and ultimately bringing the puppets to life. I constructed the marionettes out of flotsam and jetsam from the Coast Road beaches, north of Mawhera/Greymouth. The theatre was built from found material in Auckland. It all packs down into my station wagon, and we are so excited to bring it to a place (possibly) near you. We look forward to seeing you on the road, thanks for your consideration!