Puppet Theater’s outdoor summer show takes audience on an odyssey in ‘Ship of Fools’
String and Shadow Puppet Theater’s “Ship of Fools,” about a trio of red-nosed fools on an epic journey, is “our biggest show yet,” String and Shadow’s Donald Palardy III told The Olympian.
The company, in residence at Olympia Family Theater, has become known for its elaborate and magical summer productions, which combine live music, elaborate handmade puppets, masks, silliness and a penchant for making serious points that only add to the fun of the all-ages shows.
“Ship of Fools,” running weekends in July at Calliope Farm in west Olympia before it embarks on a five-state tour in August, marks the first time the puppet troupe has told a story mostly without words.
“We’ve always had a narration component,” said String and Shadow founder and chief puppet designer Emily McHugh. “As a company we wanted to push ourselves to try something different. It’s an experiment. Puppetry is extremely visual, so we have a lot of tools.”
The show follows the fools — clowns played by storyteller/actor Elizabeth Lord, clown/musician Luz Gaxiola and String and Shadow stalwart Palardy — as they set sail from the Port of Styx, inspired by the mythological river that connects the world of the living to the underworld.
Along the way, the clowns encounter mysteries and mystical creatures — including the giant puppets for which the troupe has become known.
“There’s a whale,” McHugh said, “That’s probably the largest puppet in the show. There are some hermit crabs that I’m really excited about; they are crab-human hybrids, and they have shells that are made out of all these pieces of houses.”
“Puppetry is such a great way to transport an audience into a playful and surreal state of mind,” said Gaxiola, a graduate of San Francisco Clown Conservatory who knows plenty about creating playful and surreal states on stage.
“Ship’s” clowns use mime to help create a dreamlike world.
“Mime is about using movement to communicate imaginary states, whether physical or emotional,” she said. “In this show, we’re using mime to make light things appear heavy, to convey that we’re on a huge ship or to give the impression that we’re traveling down a long industrial hallway when we’re really just zigzagging in the field at Calliope Farm.”
As they journey, the fools face change and loss, but serious themes don’t overwhelm the silliness.
“Everything exists in a cartoon world where it’s safe to grapple with these issues,” said Palardy, a veteran puppeteer and technical wizard who usually performs only behind a mask. “Our goal is for people to laugh, have a good time, maybe cry a little bit and then laugh again.”
“Like so much of String and Shadow’s work, this works on multiple levels, depending on your age,” Lord said. “Children will find joy and delight in the spectacle, and adults will understand the greater message about life and end of life.”
‘Ship of Fools: A Giant Puppet Odyssey’
What: String and Shadow Puppet Theater continues its summer tradition of al fresco puppet shows that appeal to all ages. This year’s show is told mostly without words.
When: 6:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through July 31
Where: Calliope Farm, 1335 Overhulse Road NW, Olympia
Tickets: $20 donation suggested, with no one turned away for lack of funds
More information: https://www.stringandshadow.com
Also: Bring a chair or blanket, and carpool if possible.
