The world’s master of marionettes, Canada’s Ronnie Burkett, is back in Sydney with his new show, ‘Billy Twinkle: Requiem for A Golden Boy’.
It has been an incredible journey for Burkett who has been captivated by the world of puppetry from when he was seven years old when he looked up puppetry in his world book encyclopedia. Burkett formed his adult orientated puppetry company, Ronnie Burkett’s Theatre Of Marionettes, in 1986. ‘Billy Twinkle: Requiem for A Golden Boy’, represents his eleventh production, and follows the now retired international successes, ’10 Days On Earth’, ‘Provenance’, and the ‘Memory Dress Trilogy’ of ‘Tinka’s New Dress, Street of Blood’ and ‘Happy’.
For his latest show, Burkett has come up with an engaging storyline. Burkett plays Billy Twinkle, a cruise ship puppeteer who has seen much better days. After entertaining cruise ship audiences for many years he is ignominously fired. Twinkle feels desolate and becomes suicidal. All seems to be lost until his deceased former mentor, Sid Diamond, comes back into his life as a hand puppet, and talks Twinkle’s head around, and gives him back his sparkle.
The show had plenty of highlights; Burkett’s charismatic stage presence, his wonderful craft work, the fantastic marionettes, a great set to work in, including the quaint minature stage, and Burkett’s playful, and at times, blue humour. Burkett even throws into the mix some quintessential Shakespeare.
Burkett’s show is part of this years’ Sydney Opera House’s Adventures program and plays the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House until October 17.
