INTERVIEW: In this new puppetry show, Ernie heads out on a journey of self-discovery
Photo: Ernie’s Secret Life features, from left, Kezia Tyson, Kasper Klop and Tau Bennett. Photo courtesy of Concrete Temple Theatre / Provided by Everyman Agency with permission.
Ernie’s Secret Life, a new puppet show from Concrete Temple Theatre, begins performances today, Jan. 4, at Dixon Place in Downtown Manhattan. Performances of the play, which couples puppetry with humor and self-discovery, continue through Jan. 27.
In the show, audiences meet Ernie, a man who fears that something has happened to his son, according to press notes. Rather than sit at home in isolation, he decides to build a canoe and set out searching for his child. The production is the latest from Concrete Temple Theatre, which has been going strong for 20 years. They use the art of puppetry to tell complex and engaging stories that work on multiple levels and for many age groups.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Renee Philippi, the writer and director of Ernie’s Secret Life, and Carlo Adinolfi, the creator of the puppetry and set design for the show. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style. The pair answered collectively, unless otherwise noted.
When did the idea for Ernie’s Secret Life first come to you?
The idea for Ernie’s Secret Life came to us during the pandemic. Carlo’s father who was in a nursing home in the UK, contracted Covid in early May of 2020 and passed away, and at the same time in Italy, an old friend died of cancer alone in a hospital in Verona. That they were both alone was so hard to accept. There was this feeling of wanting to escape to rescue them, wanting to escape to rescue one’s self from the prison of Covid. At that time, it seemed the only sensible way to get to anyone was by boat. So, we conceived of [a] man wanting to escape his Queens apartment by making a boat and climbing out a window with it and setting out along the waters of New York to the ocean.
Though the inspiration for the piece came from a place of sadness and loss, the piece itself had no end of joy, laughter and adventure.
Does Ernie’s journey stay in the real world, or are there fantastical elements to the show as well?
Ernie’s journey often departs into a fantastical world; this is his “secret life.” One of our inspirations was that 1964 movie that starred Don Knox, The Incredible Mr. Limpet. The departures from reality or the real world take many forms: awake dreams, performances by Ernie, as well as moments of seeing Ernie’s thoughts.
In addition, Ernie, who has built a boat to rescue his son, is afraid of the water, so there are many fantastic manifestations of water on the journey for Ernie to battle along the way.
Have you ever gone on a similar journey, one that has offered you the chance to find yourself?
PHILIPPI: Ernie’s journey is a journey of rescue, in which he makes discoveries about himself. I think Carlo and I both have certainly been on solo journeys that we thought were about one thing, but then actually became about revelations about ourselves, revelations about so many things.
ADINOLFI: The process of creating each new piece is an adventure which begins with an idea, but as the work unfolds, it begins to demand that I see myself from a totally different perspective. Ernie’s Secret Life may have sprung from the loss of my father, but emotionally it connects to leaving home for NYC nearly 40 years ago.
What is the Ernie puppet made of?
Ernie isn’t a puppet but an actor; though, he does become a fish, and when he is a fish, his fish essence is constructed from cardboard.
What does puppetry add to the narrative?
We believe that the puppetry adds another dimension to the narrative, adds what cannot be expressed through language. The puppets allow us to present the world of Ernie’s imagination and dreams.
Concrete Temple Theatre is a multi-disciplinary company, committed to the creation of compelling new theatrical works, incorporating drama, dance, puppetry, music and the visual arts. Since 2004, we have created devised visual theatre that challenges the traditional relationship between design and text. We strive to create theatrical works in which the visual elements have their own narrative or add layers of meaning to the textual narrative. The images created within a theatrical event are often more important than what is said, enabling all people to see themselves and embrace their personal struggles.
Would this show be as effective if it featured a company of actors playing the roles?
Most of the puppets, except for Danny, come from the natural world, meaning they are animals or fish or water, life forms not easily represented by an actor. Even then, when we see Danny, he is paddling a canoe, something we could only do with puppetry.
Is there nervousness or excitement (or both) before a world premiere?
Oh yes of course both! We are terrified and nervous and incredibly excited. Every show is different, and it is in some ways giving life to a new being. It becomes your child, and you worry and fuss that you won’t be good enough or do the right things or say the right things — if you only knew what to do! But then you are so thrilled by the essence of life and so excited for the new life to be shared with others.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Ernie’s Secret Life, written and directed by Renee Philippi, features puppetry and set design by Carlo Adinolfi. Performances run Jan. 4-27 at Dixon Place in Downtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
