Charleville-Mézières Puppet Festival... Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes 2013.

A few weeks ago, I went to the Marionnette Festival at Charleville-Mézières. This takes place every two years, and so I covered most of its origins and customs in the post I wrote, back in 2011.

 The festival stretches over ten days and my day-trip this time was blessed by mild, autumnal weather. Perfect for the audience and the puppets... The ones safely behind glass, in shop window displays...

 Or the others displaying themselves at the bars and cafés, watching the world go by...

Or those again, in an eerie autumnal stage of life, who seemed half-puppet, half-human... Half-observing, half-observed...

When I arrived the town was still sleepy. Business was far from brisk...

Many of the stands and stalls had not yet fully opened up...

The throngs of visitors that crowd into Place Ducale and the neighbouring streets as the day progresses had still to emerge.

Perhaps they were waiting for a signal from the Grand Marionnettiste who reigns over the imposing clock tour adjoined to the façade of the Institut de la Marionnette in Place Winston Churchill.

Likewise, most of the marionnettes seemed to be in a state of suspense, standing at attention...

Perhaps in regal mood, certainly in great pomp, ready for action..

 Others seemed to just hang around in a forlorn manner...

 

Whilst others seemed too sulky to do anything, but sulk...

  And brood over events...

Whilst some were like caged creatures, just waiting to perform their act...

Or were exhausted from an earlier show...

However, little by little, things came to life. The spectators grew in numbers... The streets came to life, and so did the puppets...

 Slowly stirring..

Rising to take their positions...

 Or were given a helping hand to steady themselves...

 And ready themselves...

 Certain puppets attracted the wrong kind of attention...

 Yet others had to bide their time as they waited for an audience of any kind.

Some were taken for a walkabout, even in Burberry finery...

Others provided their own means of locomotion.

Many puppets were of traditional form and figure...

Some had familiar faces and expressions...

Bright costumes and colours...

 From near... And far.

 As Eastern mystery was displayed in all its glory...

  Presented along with the traditional...

Or the plain simple and unassuming...

Leaving other marionnettes to take on a more avant-garde approach...

That was equally expressive, despite a minimalist appearance...

Certain puppets bore the shape of farm animals...

And familiar beasts...

Albeit rather exuberant...

 While others were more exotic...

Or merely beastly...

 As the hours passed, the main square, Place Ducale, was gradually invaded by giant forms...

And bizarre figures...

 Some of which were dark...

 Menacing...

 And certainly very tall...

 Wending their way through the crowds...

That had arrived in large numbers...

The atmosphere was lively and humming when I finally left. However, of all that I saw that day, the most memorable show was the one which was remarkable for its gentle, evocative quality. Entitled L'Etreinte, it was inspired by the drawings of Egon Schiele, produced by Mue Marionnettes.