Kasperletheatre Puppets, Germany
Kasper (also known as Kasperle or Kasperl) is a famous traditional puppet character from Germany and Austria.The traditional stories and characters used are similar to those in British Punch and Judy shows. Kasper is the hero; a joker, witty and adventurous. The other Kasperletheatre puppets include characters such as Gretel and Seppel (Kasper’s friends), a princess, king, a policeman, witch, wizard, robber, grandmother and crocodile. The different characters can be used to act out traditional and modern fairy tales and stories.
Kasperletheatre has its origins in the 16th Century Italian Commedia dell’Arte, and Kasper was a similar character to the Italian Pulcinella. He first appeared in a marionette play in the 19th Century in Germany. Like Punch and Pulcinella he was aggressive and used a slapstick to beat the devil and other characters.
In 1920, a puppeteer named Max Jacob introduced the form recognized today, using glove puppets instead of marionettes.The puppets had carved wooden heads and fabric bodies. Jacob made Kasper into a more childlike hero who has adventures and helps his friends with their problems.
This is a modern set of glove puppets for children, bought in Germany. You can see the characters Kasper (with red hat), Devil, Crocodile, King, Princess and Policeman.
Height:26cm
Height:26cm
Kasper (also known as Kasperle or Kasperl) is a famous traditional puppet character from Germany and Austria.The traditional stories and characters used are similar to those in British Punch and Judy shows. Kasper is the hero; a joker, witty and adventurous. The other Kasperletheatre puppets include characters such as Gretel and Seppel (Kasper’s friends), a princess, king, a policeman, witch, wizard, robber, grandmother and crocodile. The different characters can be used to act out traditional and modern fairy tales and stories.
Kasperletheatre has its origins in the 16th Century Italian Commedia dell’Arte, and Kasper was a similar character to the Italian Pulcinella. He first appeared in a marionette play in the 19th Century in Germany. Like Punch and Pulcinella he was aggressive and used a slapstick to beat the devil and other characters.
In 1920, a puppeteer named Max Jacob introduced the form recognized today, using glove puppets instead of marionettes.The puppets had carved wooden heads and fabric bodies. Jacob made Kasper into a more childlike hero who has adventures and helps his friends with their problems.
This is a modern set of glove puppets for children, bought in Germany. You can see the characters Kasper (with red hat), Devil, Crocodile, King, Princess and Policeman.
- Term:
- Description:
- Marionette
- A puppet controlled from above using wires or strings.
- Punch and Judy
- A puppet show, with many versions. Punch is a rascal who uses force to get his own way. Judy is his wife.
- Slapstick
- A piece of wood with two flat pieces of wood which slap together loudly when they hit something. The term was later adopted to describe a boisterous, clownlike comedy style involving chases, collisions and silly, crude jokes.
