During the recent – and brilliant – Ryde Arts Festival, we made our way up to Ryde to see a pop-up performance from the Ventnor Exchange crew.
Created in just ten days
Wireless is Ventnor Exchange’s new comedy. The entire production was devised, written, created and rehearsed in just ten days – and that includes making the excellent puppets.
Yes, this was a puppet show, but perhaps not as you might expect. The production explores the “high glamour of local news” by sneaking behind the scenes of local radio station, Diamond Radio.
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Hearing the mention of puppets, you might imagine there being a tiny set, but as the lights came up, the audience were met by a full-sized studio set with two desks, one tidy and organised, the other strewn with empty food packets, wine bottles, beer cans etc.
The story follows four characters, Ted Wright, the morning show anchor who is struggling in his personal life, the young junior – ‘Work Experience’ – whose enthusiasm blasts off the stage, Terry the Jazzman who’d be horizontal if he were any more laid back (his was the messy desk in case you hadn’t guessed) and Karen the Producer, bubbly, desperate, but lovable.
First-time puppeteers
This was apparently the first time that three of the four cast had worked with puppets and it didn’t show at all.
They all managed to completely draw the audience in with their puppeteering and although I found myself looking at the actor’s faces at the beginning of the performance, it wasn’t long before I forgot they were there and focused completely on the puppets.
Bravo
Well done to all involved. Acting can be hard enough, but acting with a puppet must be a hundred times more difficult. You all pulled it off!
Creds to Ben Curtis aka Terry the Jazzman, Carl Burch as ‘Work Experience’, Dan Trevanna for fully-embracing the persona of Ted Wright and Kate Powell brilliantly played Karen the Producer.
Wireless was directed by Mhairi Macaulay and Jack Whitewood and devised by the entire company. The puppets – which were full of personality and character – were created by Mhairi and Powell Puppets.
Where can I see it?
Due to programming already being sorted for this year’s Ventnor Fringe, Wireless won’t be performed there, but Mhairi tells OnTheWight they hope to bring it out again sometime this year.
We’ll keep you posted but do check the Ventnor Exchange Website for other upcoming events.
