Above left to right: Cadi Lane, Ruby Spencer, Camilla Clarke, Diana Ford and Lizzie French try out the front legs of a Mari Lwyd.
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Today was spent auditioning a spectacularly talented group of students from the puppet design course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. James Slater, Ann Prior and I had a wonderful time working with them, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to tutor Tina Reeves for having shortlisted the students and arranged for us to work with them.
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Above: Tina Reeves (centre) organised the audition. Diana Ford and Camilla Clarke watch from the floor.
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Alas we can invite only one to join us, and it was greatly to their credit that Cadi, Ruby, Camilla and Lizzie, who are all students in their second year, were clearly delighted to see graduate Diana Ford offered the opportunity to join the Mare’s Tale team.
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Above: Head Puppeteer on The Mare’s Tale, Ann Prior (right) working with graduate Diana Ford.
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In fact so impressed were we, that James and I have determined to approach Tina to see whether the girls might be invited to work on another project we have in development for Mid Wales Chamber Orchestra, because we really don’t want to miss out on working with any of that talent.
Above: click to see the video of Diana Ford and Camilla Clarke get to grips with a Mari Lwyd puppet at the Royal Welsh College College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
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Above: click to see the video of the second Mari Lwyd puppet put through its paces by Diana and LIzzie.
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Above: James Slater of Mid Wales Chamber Orchestra and I watch while Head Puppeteer to the production, Ann Prior, works with Cadi Lane.
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Above: the designer explains.
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Especial thanks to my friend Anita Mills from N Carolina, who’s staying with us this week and kindly took all the photographs and made the videos.
Clive Hicks-Jenkins' Artlog: 