Trollfest
A most fabulous commission from ROAR to make a troll for their Trollfest! A festival and arts extravaganza for children and young people to celebrate all things nature with art, crafts, music, and dance.
The commission guidelines for this were so inviting. I could hardly contain myself! At the time, I was meeting up with an international and eclectic bunch of puppeteers on weekly Zooms. I owe much to this group for their loving support and encouragement and to Peter Court of Creative Madness in South Africa for his sharing and brilliance.
Here’s an extract from my original proposal. (Trig the Troll was the working title)
Trig is a broad and burly character that would stand over 7’ tall if upright. But this troll is arched over, carrying a large woven basket on their back. Trig is neither specifically he nor she but asexual, yet has unmistakably trollish features from head to toe: Wispy long hair, dyed with beetroot with turmeric roots; dreaded with chestnut shells and such like. Chunky ears growing potatoes and a weather-worn complexion; craggy but soft to the touch. A truly bulbous nose with nostrils sprouting dandelions and daisies and harbouring pond life. Big, kind eyes looking everywhere! Puckered lips and crooked teeth with only kind words to say.
What’s Trig wearing? Patchwork dungarees: hand-stitched with bright buttons and button badges: Ban the Bomb; Save the Whale; Save the Krill, Kill the Bill or whatever it is that the kids care for today and want to say. Pockets full of feathers and rammel – but not any old rubbish! Bare-footed, big toed and shuffling.
It would be difficult to pin an age on Trig. Laughter lines and bagged eyes tell many stories, but this troll is still spritely and sociable as they bumble along through the woods with a gaggle of giggling children in toe.
Let’s look at it another way. Trig is a walkabout puppet of a troll carrying a basket on their back: Worn and operated by a puppeteer (more than likely that would be myself) Part costume-part puppet. Larger than life, but approachable and attractive to humans of all ages. A good size to be photographed with.
Baby trolls, patches and goats!
I ran creative workshops in the youth clubs at Dinnington, a drop-in at a temporary Troll Museum in Thurcroft and Hilltop School for severe learning disabilities in Maltby. We made baby trolls, patches for the big troll and goats!
