What is “Tabletop Theatre”? If this question were asked of educators today, there would be no consensus and probably a variety of answers. On the other hand, were the question “What is Toy Theatre” to have been asked in England or America in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, the response would have been immediate and enthusiastic. The authors of this book prefer to use the term “Tabletop Theatre” to “Toy Theatre” today because of the connotation. Toy suggests entertainment for the very young and while pre-schoolers may and probably can enjoy the performance, the skill required in producing it is better suited to school age youngsters and adults.

This explanation, however, does not describe the obscure form of puppetry which it is. Comparable to television in its appeal to all ages, Toy Theatre was family theatre in the truest sense. A small stage, commercially available or homemade, was placed on a table in the living room with chairs arranged in front of it for the best viewing. Here the family and friends would gather to see the show. The puppeteers (for want of a better word) would move an manipulate the tiny actors on and off the stage as they enacted the story. Original dialogue accompanied the action with music and sound effects added when appropriate. Unlike television, however, the performance was live and could change according to the interests and reaction of the audience. As theatre, it was creative as opposed to television which is professionally produced and undemanding of the audience.

After seeing several performances of “Tabletop Theatre”, devised an produced by amateurs, I realized that not only does it possess charm but it has great value as an educational medium. The latter value is what the authors explain so well in this book. Teachers will discover a detailed explanation of the construction and use of the overhead projector. There are also directions for making the little two-dimensional puppets. Objects were often used or incorporated in addition to the little puppet figures, hence the term “object theatre”. In fact, there is no prop or object that cannot be used if it is small enough to fit on the stage. Actually, large objects such as flying dragons overhead can add color and excitement to a show.

For further clarification, the authors have included simple scripts to demonstrate the different kinds of material that they have used successfully. Although the scripts are useful, they are rarely used in performance; like puppet theatre, the puppeteers are so concentrated on manipulating their actors that they prefer to improvise the dialogue. Because of the informality of “Tabletop Theatre”, audience participation is a frequent component.

It is my pleasure to introduce Kuang-Yu Fong and Stephen Kaplin to a public that I hope will pursue this technique with students. Kuang-Yu, a Taiwanese actor/dancer and educator, teaches Chinese and Peking Opera at Pace University and is well-known to audiences around the country for her lectures and demonstrations. Her husband, Stephen, is a popular puppeteer, whose work has been seen on Broadway as well as in master classes in schools and community centers. In this book they bring their knowledge and technical expertise of this almost forgotten form of family entertainment to teachers and recreation leaders of the twentieth century. As a first in the field, the text explains in simple language this effective old/new educational tool. Read it – try it – and enjoy it! You will discover a world of creative possibilities in “Tabletop Theatre”.

Nellie McCaslin
New York