invisible woman

Anton Podbevsek Theatre, 2022

Invisible Woman delves into our deepest emotions, those about which we dare not speak.

A large puppet dangled from an array of strings, each carefully counterbalanced. The puppet's head was designed to resemble an older version of Špela Frlic, the main actress in the show.

Puppetry maestros Katja Povše and Maja Kunšič breathed life into the puppet.

The body of the older woman puppet was assembled from wooden pieces, while the head was sculpted from soft silicone, seamlessly blending into the textile, especially around areas such as the neck and eyes.

The Making of the Head

The final head was crafted from a variety of soft silicones, blending into the textile on specific parts of the face, enabling a wide range of facial expressions. These expressions could be controlled by pulling strings within the head. Puppeteers could also fashion exaggerated and grotesque faces by directly manipulating the puppet's soft, pliable head.

The realistic eyes were crafted with a clear plastic outer shell, filled with clear silicone. The iris was modelled and painted, and the sclera was detailed with veins. The eyes were fully articulated.

Testing the movement of the eyes and eyelids, the textile was later fused and blended into the silicone head of the puppet.

Katja Povše and Maja Kunšič animating.