THE Joondalup Festival is back for its 19th year with a new format and a world premiere.
For the first time, the festival will be staged over three nights – Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2 – and will feature a giant illuminated puppet that will come to life across the festival site.
Created by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, String Symphony is described as a unique, shared, multi-sensory experience suitable for people of all ages.
It features Leor (meaning ‘I have light’ in Hebrew), which is a hand-woven giant puppet incorporating 1km of rope and 600 LED lights.
Festival-goers are able to animate the puppet by pulling on its suspension strings.
Designer and puppet maker Leon Hendroff said he was looking forward to being able to unveil his labour of love.
“This extraordinary installation explores concepts of connection, community and collaboration, and is particularly spectacular when viewed at night,” he said.
“After four years of planning and development, I am very excited to share Leor with all those in attendance at the 2017 Joondalup Festival.
“There is something very special about an inanimate object being brought to life; up to 12 people at a time can help animate Leor, so there is a real sense of physical and emotional conversation going on.”
String Symphony can be viewed in Central Park.
Written by Tyler Brown, Joondalup Times
February 9, 2017