One man, his hands and everyday objects cast a shadow against a silhouetted screen. It seems likes a simple concept, but requires excellent execution.
The simpleness of Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones makes it unlike the recent puppetry success story, The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik, which used a mix of animation, music and puppetry.
Instead, Canadian puppeteer Jeff Achtem has only his hands, feet and imagination to work with. And, while the show won’t tug at your heart strings like Alvin did, it will certainly make you laugh and put a smile on your face.
Achtem, or Mr Bunk, used seemingly useless and everyday objects to create shadow puppets. Sometimes, he even used the audience.
Achtem is a technically assured performer, his handling and timing is impressive. Children will take great pleasure in Mr Bunk as he jabbers his way through five separate segments and an uplifting farewell sequence where he reminds us that we’re never too young to play.
But, there is no continuing story or theme to connect the five parts, which may account for a lack of momentum throughout the performance.
The opening is particularly impressive, as you witness the creation of Mr Bunk as he is put together and deservedly received a big round of applause. But, the intrigue is lost in the other segments that failed to live up to the standard set in the opener.
Instead, pre-cut characters and props are used, which sometimes made the time spent creating the characters feel like stalling instead of performing. But, for a one-man show, Achtem handled the problem with confidence and charm.
Despite its shortcomings, Stick, Stones, Broken Bones is of impressive quality and never faults in offering a bundle of laughs the whole family can enjoy.
