THEATRE

• Official Website
• Buy Tickets
• Add to My Favorites

The Jungle

Presented by TroublePuppet Theater Company at Salvage Vanguard Theater

September 17-October 4, 2009

Avg. Event Rating (4.6 Stars):
Add Review/Comment | Read Reviews/Comments

Comment on Facebook

Based on Upton Sinclair’s groundbreaking novel, The Jungle, uses a form of puppetry inspired by the Japanese Bunraku style. It includes human choreography, tabletop puppets, life sized, two and three dimensional, and shadow puppetry, as well as imagery by LettuceTurnip Media Services and graphic animation by Leah Sharpe (Tongue & Groove’s "Red Balloon"). Original compositions by Justin Sherburn ("Okkervill River") who was awarded two B. Iden Payne Awards in 2008 for his work on Tongue and Groove Theater's "The Red Balloon."

 

 

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    Salvage Vanguard Theater

    2803 Manor Road
    Austin, TX 78722

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets: 15 dollars at the door

    Buy Tickets

  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    September 17-October 4, 2009

    Times:
    8pm

  • Accessibility Info

    Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.

  • Video & Image Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Fantastic Puppets"
      Review posted by: Timothy Thomas from Austin, TX, Oct 09, 2009
      

      Trouble Puppet's production last year of "Frankenstein" was my favorite show of the year, so I had very high hopes for their production of "The Jungle". By and large the puppetry was flawless. Trouble... Expand

      Trouble Puppet's production last year of "Frankenstein" was my favorite show of the year, so I had very high hopes for their production of "The Jungle". By and large the puppetry was flawless. Trouble Puppet mixes puppetry styles, but it's mainly Bunraku. In this case it was seamless. The puppeteers were dressed like the puppets as factory workers and re-enacted some of the puppet's tasks in real life which really made it seem like their was no real barrier between the two. That said I felt like it didn't have as much of the horror as Frankenstein (which seems odd considering the source material). Also, it felt like it was simply reaffirming the audiences views. It's hard to find someone now who doesn't feel like turn-of-the-century factory conditions were horrific. Their production of Frankenstein put a fantastic feminist spin on the story, and I would have liked to seen the same thing here. That said, it will probably still be one of my favorite plays this year. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Depressive, and Impressive"
      Review posted by: ReginaldGentry from Austin, TX, Sep 23, 2009
      

      Wow, what a strange and fascinating piece. Bring a socialist friend and confirm your suspicions. By the way the puppeteers are something to see

      Wow, what a strange and fascinating piece. Bring a socialist friend and confirm your suspicions. By the way the puppeteers are something to see

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Beautiful Piece."
      Review posted by: Austin Live Theatre from austin, Sep 23, 2009
      

      Trouble Puppet's The Jungle adapted by Connor Hopkins is a beautiful piece of work, but it's hollow at its heart. http://tinyurl.com/monmx4

      Trouble Puppet's The Jungle adapted by Connor Hopkins is a beautiful piece of work, but it's hollow at its heart. http://tinyurl.com/monmx4

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Great Show!"
      Review posted by: A fan from Austin, TX USA, Sep 23, 2009
      

      I was pleasantly surprised at the puppeteers' skill in conveying emotion, thought, and life through each puppet. I quickly found myself feeling connected to the small characters and their lives. It... Expand

      I was pleasantly surprised at the puppeteers' skill in conveying emotion, thought, and life through each puppet. I quickly found myself feeling connected to the small characters and their lives. It was a wonderful way to convey Sinclair's masterpiece "The Jungle." I highly recommend the show! Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "great show"
      Review posted by: becca from austin, Sep 22, 2009
      

      i found this show to be entertaining and thought provoking. there was so much to see and take in i feel like i could watch it few times and get more out of it each time. i liked the way that both the... Expand

      i found this show to be entertaining and thought provoking. there was so much to see and take in i feel like i could watch it few times and get more out of it each time. i liked the way that both the puppets and the puppeteers had their own part in the play. it was like no other puppet show i've ever seen. and the underlying political commentary made for interesting post show conversation. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "The Jungle"
      Review posted by: theater lover from Houston, TX, Sep 22, 2009
      

      From the start of the show to the end, I felt myself totally immersed in the lives and emotions of the characters, puppets. Even without dialogue, the puppets came to life and took me on their... Expand

      From the start of the show to the end, I felt myself totally immersed in the lives and emotions of the characters, puppets. Even without dialogue, the puppets came to life and took me on their emotional ride. The whole production was beautifully choreographed and the visuals brought out the backdrop for the setting and time period. A great production for those who have read the book. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Superbly performed"
      Review posted by: Shawn Cooke from Austin, TX USA, Sep 22, 2009
      

      It doesn't take long for the puppets themselves to fade away, leaving the audience to see only the characters they portray. Their movement is clear and natural without being exaggerated or clownish.... Expand

      It doesn't take long for the puppets themselves to fade away, leaving the audience to see only the characters they portray. Their movement is clear and natural without being exaggerated or clownish. It is incredible how much emotion can be gleaned from a creation of wood and papier mache. The performers themselves do not try to hide, but instead serve as a silent chorus, a backdrop for their puppets. The props are well-constructed, and add to the sense of verisimilitude when the puppets interact with them. In terms of the story, there is a new lot to see, even if you're already familiar with the story of the novel. And if not, then you'll get an excellent introduction to the subject matter. In short, The Jungle is well performed, well acted, and well worth checking out. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Rich with repetition"
      Review posted by: The Examiner from austin, Sep 22, 2009
      

      Rich with repetition, symbolism, and even a few touches of surrealism, the production is perhaps one of the most heady shows you’re likely to see all year, puppets or not, and the fact that they... Expand

      Rich with repetition, symbolism, and even a few touches of surrealism, the production is perhaps one of the most heady shows you’re likely to see all year, puppets or not, and the fact that they bring such a world to life with a few simple suits and some wood speaks volumes to the quality of the company. http://tinyurl.com/nygaol Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Wonderful!"
      Review posted by: theatregoer from austin, Sep 21, 2009
      

      The Trouble Puppet Theater production of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is story set in the 1880s but is as true to life today as it was written. The story is the heartfelt story of the conditions... Expand

      The Trouble Puppet Theater production of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is story set in the 1880s but is as true to life today as it was written. The story is the heartfelt story of the conditions surrounding immigrant workers in Chicago’s meatpacking industry. The Jungle uses a form of puppetry inspired by the Japanese Bunraku style and has the puppet handlers being a part of the show. The two go hand in hand rather well. I enjoyed that there is one character that has no puppet and you get to see him in all his reality. I will not give away a spoiler. One is immediately transported to the time period and I think for myself having the human interaction with the puppets as characters made for me the puppets come to life even quicker than most puppet show I have seen. The subject matter might not be for everyone but it is something that for me I am very glad to have seen on stage. Collapse

• Media
  Gallery

  • All Media Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Fantastic Puppets"
      Review posted by: Timothy Thomas from Austin, TX, Oct 09, 2009
      

      Trouble Puppet's production last year of "Frankenstein" was my favorite show of the year, so I had very high hopes for their production of "The Jungle". By and large the puppetry was flawless. Trouble... Expand

      Trouble Puppet's production last year of "Frankenstein" was my favorite show of the year, so I had very high hopes for their production of "The Jungle". By and large the puppetry was flawless. Trouble Puppet mixes puppetry styles, but it's mainly Bunraku. In this case it was seamless. The puppeteers were dressed like the puppets as factory workers and re-enacted some of the puppet's tasks in real life which really made it seem like their was no real barrier between the two. That said I felt like it didn't have as much of the horror as Frankenstein (which seems odd considering the source material). Also, it felt like it was simply reaffirming the audiences views. It's hard to find someone now who doesn't feel like turn-of-the-century factory conditions were horrific. Their production of Frankenstein put a fantastic feminist spin on the story, and I would have liked to seen the same thing here. That said, it will probably still be one of my favorite plays this year. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Depressive, and Impressive"
      Review posted by: ReginaldGentry from Austin, TX, Sep 23, 2009
      

      Wow, what a strange and fascinating piece. Bring a socialist friend and confirm your suspicions. By the way the puppeteers are something to see

      Wow, what a strange and fascinating piece. Bring a socialist friend and confirm your suspicions. By the way the puppeteers are something to see

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Beautiful Piece."
      Review posted by: Austin Live Theatre from austin, Sep 23, 2009
      

      Trouble Puppet's The Jungle adapted by Connor Hopkins is a beautiful piece of work, but it's hollow at its heart. http://tinyurl.com/monmx4

      Trouble Puppet's The Jungle adapted by Connor Hopkins is a beautiful piece of work, but it's hollow at its heart. http://tinyurl.com/monmx4

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Great Show!"
      Review posted by: A fan from Austin, TX USA, Sep 23, 2009
      

      I was pleasantly surprised at the puppeteers' skill in conveying emotion, thought, and life through each puppet. I quickly found myself feeling connected to the small characters and their lives. It... Expand

      I was pleasantly surprised at the puppeteers' skill in conveying emotion, thought, and life through each puppet. I quickly found myself feeling connected to the small characters and their lives. It was a wonderful way to convey Sinclair's masterpiece "The Jungle." I highly recommend the show! Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "great show"
      Review posted by: becca from austin, Sep 22, 2009
      

      i found this show to be entertaining and thought provoking. there was so much to see and take in i feel like i could watch it few times and get more out of it each time. i liked the way that both the... Expand

      i found this show to be entertaining and thought provoking. there was so much to see and take in i feel like i could watch it few times and get more out of it each time. i liked the way that both the puppets and the puppeteers had their own part in the play. it was like no other puppet show i've ever seen. and the underlying political commentary made for interesting post show conversation. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "The Jungle"
      Review posted by: theater lover from Houston, TX, Sep 22, 2009
      

      From the start of the show to the end, I felt myself totally immersed in the lives and emotions of the characters, puppets. Even without dialogue, the puppets came to life and took me on their... Expand

      From the start of the show to the end, I felt myself totally immersed in the lives and emotions of the characters, puppets. Even without dialogue, the puppets came to life and took me on their emotional ride. The whole production was beautifully choreographed and the visuals brought out the backdrop for the setting and time period. A great production for those who have read the book. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Superbly performed"
      Review posted by: Shawn Cooke from Austin, TX USA, Sep 22, 2009
      

      It doesn't take long for the puppets themselves to fade away, leaving the audience to see only the characters they portray. Their movement is clear and natural without being exaggerated or clownish.... Expand

      It doesn't take long for the puppets themselves to fade away, leaving the audience to see only the characters they portray. Their movement is clear and natural without being exaggerated or clownish. It is incredible how much emotion can be gleaned from a creation of wood and papier mache. The performers themselves do not try to hide, but instead serve as a silent chorus, a backdrop for their puppets. The props are well-constructed, and add to the sense of verisimilitude when the puppets interact with them. In terms of the story, there is a new lot to see, even if you're already familiar with the story of the novel. And if not, then you'll get an excellent introduction to the subject matter. In short, The Jungle is well performed, well acted, and well worth checking out. Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Rich with repetition"
      Review posted by: The Examiner from austin, Sep 22, 2009
      

      Rich with repetition, symbolism, and even a few touches of surrealism, the production is perhaps one of the most heady shows you’re likely to see all year, puppets or not, and the fact that they... Expand

      Rich with repetition, symbolism, and even a few touches of surrealism, the production is perhaps one of the most heady shows you’re likely to see all year, puppets or not, and the fact that they bring such a world to life with a few simple suits and some wood speaks volumes to the quality of the company. http://tinyurl.com/nygaol Collapse

    • Event Name: The Jungle
      "Wonderful!"
      Review posted by: theatregoer from austin, Sep 21, 2009
      

      The Trouble Puppet Theater production of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is story set in the 1880s but is as true to life today as it was written. The story is the heartfelt story of the conditions... Expand

      The Trouble Puppet Theater production of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is story set in the 1880s but is as true to life today as it was written. The story is the heartfelt story of the conditions surrounding immigrant workers in Chicago’s meatpacking industry. The Jungle uses a form of puppetry inspired by the Japanese Bunraku style and has the puppet handlers being a part of the show. The two go hand in hand rather well. I enjoyed that there is one character that has no puppet and you get to see him in all his reality. I will not give away a spoiler. One is immediately transported to the time period and I think for myself having the human interaction with the puppets as characters made for me the puppets come to life even quicker than most puppet show I have seen. The subject matter might not be for everyone but it is something that for me I am very glad to have seen on stage. Collapse

• Media
  Reviews

  • Media Reviews

    There are currently no media reviews for this event.