The exceptional artistic exchange project “Puppets Beyond Borders” brings together puppeteers from Germany, France, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand in October and November 2011.

The artists will engage in workshops in Chiangmai, Phnom Penh and Yangon, encountering each other’s different stylistic, technical and contentual approaches to the art of puppetry. Together they will prepare performances in each city, weaving together their newly developed plays centering on the theme “Home”. This initiative is promoted by the Goethe-Institut and the French Institutes of Cambodia and Myanmar in collaboration with Empty Space Chiangmai, the German Embassy in Yangon and the Meta House Phnom Penh.

Southeast Asia has a long-standing and very rich tradition in the art of puppetry. The forms of expression are as diverse as the countries themselves, reaching from the famous shadow plays to Vietnamese Water puppetry to wire- or stick-controlled marionettes. Within this context, the encounter of the Southeast Asian groups Htwe Oo (Myanmar), Makhampon Theatre Group (Thailand), a group of former students of the Theatre Department of the Royal University of Fine Arts (Cambodia) and further local artists with the German Theater Handgemenge and the French ensemble Les Rémouleurs promises to be a truly inspiring experience, opening up new perspectives on artistic production for all artists involved.

From October 16th until 30th 2011 the puppeteers meet for the initial workshop and two performances (28th & 29th October) at the Empty Space and the CMU Art Museum in Chiangmai. From there they travel to Phnom Penh (workshop November 1st - 3rd, performances November 4th & 5th) and Yangon (workshop November 7th-10th, performances November 11th & 12th), taking the art of puppetry truly beyond borders. A Burmese/Cambodian film team will accompany the tour, producing a co-directed documentary about this very unique artistic exchange. The film is scheduled to be released in January 2012. “Puppets Beyond Borders” is a joint initiative by the the French Institutes of Cambodia and Myanmar and the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with Empty Space Chiangmai, the German Embassy in Yangon and the Meta House Phnom Penh. This French-German collaboration is supported by the Elysée-Fund. Puppets Beyond Borders_Brochure Press Kit - Puppets Boyond Borders_EN