Visiting Arts
Afghanistan Cultural Profiles ProjectCultural Profile
 
                                                                               
 
MMCC Mini Mobile Children’s Circus
Puppet making at MCCC (Linda Mazur)Can you remember your passport number? Few people can. David Mason, director of MMCC Mini Mobile Children’s Circus, believes there are two types of memory; the intellectual memory that we have been trained to use in our life in the 21st century, and a physical memory. Even if you haven’t ridden a bicycle for years you could probably get on and, with a few false starts, be sailing along in no time. It’s the surprise element that teaches us. The times we remember are the times when we say – WOW.
The plays written and performed by MMCC have included a dancing elephant puppet with two children inside proudly sporting one shiny tusk and one rotten tusk. The finale of the story is explained by two clowns, who tell the children that they can have shiny teeth if they brush them every day. A simple story, but with the laughter at the antics of the elephant and the clowns the children will remember to brush their teeth.
The Danish people have supported them with funds and donated equipment, including a unicycle, which produced both bruises and laughter.
MMCC has performed in the children’s wards of hospitals and in schools in Kabul. Performances are followed by a few days working with the children making the props and teaching them the play. They split the children into groups and each group has a task: costumes, music and singing, scenery, being puppet artists, stilt walkers or actors. At the end the children put on a performance. This type of theatre can teach children and adults about landmines, health care or literacy, but David Mason insists that in order to do so it must incorporate a surprise: ‘People can talk about peace for hours but come away from the table and forget what was said. Relying on your neighbour to support your first efforts at stilt walking or unicycle riding impresses children with the need to help each other.’
MMCC’s latest project has involved nine actor/teachers and a hired mini van. The van is equipped with a stage and lights for the show. A motorcycle troubadour travels ahead of the touring group to announce the coming attraction, get permission from the district leader and find a site for the theatre/van. Performances held in May and June 2003 were aimed at health care and washing your hands. Naturally, a dancing human-sized clean hand and a dirty hand covered with ickey bacteria received star billing. After the performance there were workshops and teaching games. The children of the village learned to make their own toys, stilts and puppets, to juggle and to work with others in social games. After the final performance the show was packed away and the van moved on to the next village, leaving the children with not only memories but also the skills necessary to create their own play.
 
created with financial support from
British Council Afghanistan
Date updated: 25 August 2004
 
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