ABOUT FEIKE BOSCHMA

'IT'S ALL ABOUT MOTION'

Feikes Huis ("Feike's House") derives its name from puppeteer and theatre producer Feike Boschma (1921). As an innovator par excellence, he still serves as a source of inspiration to many puppteers and theatre producers today. Boschma developed his puppet shows during the Second World War, after which he made his debut with famous Dutch comedian Wim Sonneveld in 1947. In the years that followed, he cooperated with artists from a range of disciplines. Examples include dancer Cilli Wang, visual artist Peter Struycken, elocutionist Willy Bril, puppeteer Jan Nelissen, and mime artist Rob van Houten. In addition, he followed renowned foreign colleagues such as the Parisians Yves Joly and George Lafaye.

Ragged pieces of crêpe de Chine or silk, sparingly reinforced; incidental hands or legs, with no more than a hint of a face or head - these are the characteristic features of Feike Boschma puppets. Despite such abstract appearances, however, Boschma generates a perfect illusion of life. Boschma regards puppetry as a powerful medium for enlarging or reducing characters and events; often precisely by the exchange arising between several performing artists. He employs his puppetry to visualise abstract concepts. Text often plays a secondary part in his generally musical and poetic performances.

Throughout his career, Boschma has been on a continuous search for the essence of puppetry.  "The essential factor in bringing a puppet to life is motion. This is not just one of my personal convictions - it's a plain fact. Without motion no puppet will attain liveliness. This does not imply that I'm adverse to text. What I oppose is for text to replace motion."*

* Source: "Poppen die gaan spelen", IDV Werkschrift 25 - 1985*