Pablo and Efrain Del Hierro, twin brothers from Puerto Rico who travel the world with their surreal puppets, are bringing their creations to Atlanta this week.
“Hungry Garden” uses music, puppetry and dance in an interactive improv show that seeks to connect audiences with their own creativity. The show runs Thursday, July 6, to Sunday, July 9, at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
By day, they’ll present a family-friendly version of the show, with the improv geared toward audiences age 4 and up. By night, the rules go out the window with “Hungry Garden: After Dark,” an adult-oriented version for 18-and-up crowd that “may contain depictions of sex, violence and non-human nudity.”
The plot is largely improvisational, with some elements shrouded to preserve the spontaneous nature of the show. This approach is a stark departure from the Center for Puppetry Arts’ usual practice of carefully scripted productions.
The brothers have been creating performance art together as Poncili Creación since 2012, drawing inspiration from myths and legends for puppetry that seeks to give life to inanimate objects. They also draw on tribal symbols such as masks and totems to evoke ancient forms of storytelling. In addition, many of their pieces don’t hide the human bodies behind the puppets to create striking and often otherworldly images.
They’ve described their work as their own version of reality, one that’s governed by what they call “chaotic tranquility.” This idea inspired the troupe’s name. “Poncili” is a made-up word that they use to represent the idea of “chaotic tranquility,” while “Creación” honors the creativity they’ve dedicated their lives to.
Credit: Nick van Tiem
Credit: Nick van Tiem
Sarah Augsburger, the center’s associate marketing director, said the Del Hierro brothers’ show is “based on adventure, imagination, fearlessness and a wish to be in the moment with audiences.”
The Center for Puppetry Arts has also created a special exhibition for Poncili Creación that runs through Oct. 29. The exhibition is part of the second year of the center’s Puppetry Now initiative that highlights the “work of contemporary artists and puppeteers of color.”
IF YOU GO
“Hungry Garden”
Thursday, July 6, to Sunday, July 9. Noon, family shows. Various times, adult-only shows. $22-$27. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 404-873-3391, puppet.org.
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