Master puppeteer Ronnie Burkett who spent 20 years in Calgary is back in the city with an improvised puppet variety show that deviates from the usual script although it’s not entirely unfamiliar.
This incarnation of The Daisy Theatre began as a commission for the 2013 Luminato Festival in Toronto but its inception actually goes back to early in Burkett’s career. His award-winning show Tinka’s New Dress created in the 1990s included two improv sections and so Burkett created The Daisy Theatre to develop his chops as an improviser. The original version of the show debuted in One Yellow Rabbit’s original Secret Theatre and was followed by a couple one-off performances at other venues.
“It was an enormous hit to the point where people were coming back to see the journey of various characters” says Burkett.
After about 20 years of purely scripted shows he was ready to bring The Daisy Theatre back. “I’ve been doing really dark heavy serious work for a long time and I just want to have some fun.”
The audience should have fun too. Presented as a cabaret with an easily accessible bar the show encourages conversation and audience participation — plus as an improvised show The Daisy Theatre is never the same twice. “I just want people to have a great night out because that’s what The Daisy is — it’s not pretentious” says Burkett.
Each night Burkett sets a loose running order based on the 40 puppets he has on hand. Some of the characters have defined songs or bits some are a little more flexible and all are delightful: there are lounge singers and ventriloquists actors and tightrope walkers children and elders and many more. “You just throw it on stage and… interactions between characters happen or fail or grow over time” he says.
Regardless of the particular array of characters you see on a given night Burkett promises appearances from three of his best-loved. “If a puppeteer gets a signature character in their career that’s a blessing but if you get three that’s a miracle” he says. “I redesigned those characters and put them in the show and so I can do the show any night without thought because I know those three characters can talk.”
The trio (“equal thirds of Ronnie”) include Mrs. Edna Rural “a little befuddled prairie widow from Turnip Corners Alberta” who might offer the audience recipes talk about politics or dating or moving to the big city or touch on loss and sadness. Esme Massengill a bitter alcoholic over-the-hill diva may regale the crowd with her once-famous songs and dances from the Bible. “She’s that part of Ronnie that’s just been on the road too long and is really cynical” says Burkett. “If I really need to just swear a lot I bring Esme out.”
The character who opens and closes the show is a delicate fairy child named Schnitzel. “He’s hands-down everyone’s favourite character” says Burkett. “Through Schnitzel I can be as hopeful and as innocent and as confused and dreamy as I want to be.” And that’s what Burkett finds so enchanting about puppetry: “As a performing tool it lets me be anything I’m not held to skin colour or gender or age… for me it’s the most freeing of the performing arts.”
As for the audience (who be forewarned may get called up to the stage) in Toronto Burkett noticed that The Daisy Theatre was attracting more than its share of people under 30 many of whom had never been to the theatre before. And hopefully based on their experience they’ll come again — to his show or any other. “I want them to feel like ‘Yay I put my shoes and coat on and took a risk and went out and it paid off’” says Burkett.
The Daisy Theatre runs February 17 to March 7 at the Big Secret Theatre (Arts Commons).
