UEUEUE Company — Travelling Exhibition
Sous les toiles
des Polichinelles
Puppet booth shows in Europe up to the 19th century
What lies beneath the puppet booth's canvas? Engravings, paintings and drawings trace five centuries of street puppet shows. An exhibition conceived by contemporary practitioners, displayed on actual puppet booths.
Audio tour (in French)
One audio guide to accompany your visit. Start listening from your phone as you enter the exhibition.
The Visit
Approximately 15 minutes
A voice to guide your gaze: iconography, the technique of the puppet booth, the economics of street performance — and the secret shared by all these characters across Europe.
Video excerpts
Demonstrations, interviews and archive footage related to the exhibition.
Pulcinella - The Hanging Scene
Encounter with puppeteer Nunzio Zambello (Naples), 1978 documentary by Giorgio Salvatore and Piero Zaini.
Punch & Judy - Dog on Stage
Harry Bailey's travelling puppet show in Halifax (1901), filmed by James Kenyon and Sagar Mitchell.
Jan Klassen - Scenario Sequences
Puppet theatre by Janus Cabalt on Dam Square (Amsterdam, c. 1893–1935), digitised by Cinepro.
Jan Klassen - Monkey on Stage
Street scenes in Amsterdam (excerpt), unknown filmmaker (c. 1929), from the Amsterdam City Archives (Gemeentearchief).
Pulcinella - The Dog Scene
Traditional dog scene, performed by Gaspare Nasuto in Poland.
Catalogue of works
125 reproductions of graphic works from European and North American collections, from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
Documents (in French)
Floor plans, elevations and presentation dossiers, freely available to download.
Presentation dossier
Artistic intentions, target audience, educational formats.
PDF · DownloadPlans & elevations
Hanging plans and booth elevations at 1/10 scale.
PDF · DownloadExhibition labels
Explanatory texts for the works presented in the exhibition.
PDF · DownloadTechnical rider
Hosting conditions, technical requirements, ERP constraints.
PDF · Coming soonFraming article
Sous les toiles des Polichinelles — academic framing article.
PDF · DownloadScientific committee: Cristina Grazioli, Anna Leone, Didier Plassard
Construction of the booths: Paolo Saldari / Compagnia l'Aprisogni
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