Yes, Even Puppets Are Doing Their Bit Amid The Coronavirus Outbreak!

by Liz Seyi Digital marketing manager

While our team here at Puppets By Post likes to see puppetry as a means of providing a bit of fun during what might be hard times, we also can’t ignore its invaluable educational function.

So, in the wake of the current widespread disruption caused by Covid-19, it pleased us to see several news stories lately that demonstrated this important role that puppets can play.

Vancouver director brings humour to an old classic

Not all of the most crucial messages that one can impart should necessarily always be delivered utterly solemnly. Indeed, comedy can be a powerful tool at times for drumming in vital messages, as the award-winning director Jeremy Brown has shown.

He created a ‘public service announcement’ video that represents a humorous take on an iconic video from the now-defunct Canadian non-profit organisation, Concerned Children’s Advertisers.

However, while the puppets in the original video instructed viewers against putting things in their mouth – specifically medicine, “bad food” or “some poison” – due to the risk of ill health, Brown said that he “decided to dust it off and give it a new message.”

So, in his new version, the puppets are instead telling those watching to wash their hands and not to “turn your stupid face”. They also urge viewers to stay in their homes, using an expletive that we can’t repeat here.

Puppets are spreading crucial awareness in India, too

In South Asia, meanwhile, the Tripura Puppet Theatre (TPT) group has used traditional “Putul Nach” (puppet dance) to educate Indians about Covid-19.

A video of the puppet dance posted on YouTube, prepared by the group’s artists, has attracted widespread attention and admiration.

One of TPT’s founders, Prabhitangshu Das, said that like every year, the group had intended to hold a puppet dance event in acknowledgement of World Puppetry Day on 21st March.

This year, however, preventative measures announced by the government forced TPT to call off the programme.

Das explained: “Since we are unable to perform our annual puppet dance event due to Covid-19, we have chosen to go online this year through diverse social media to make people aware against the danger of the disease and defensive measures.

“Puppetry is one of the powerful traditional folk medium and it has shown numerous examples of efficacy in public health issues.”

The video in question tells the story of a government official coughing and showing flu-like symptoms, with his wife and daughter advising him to tell a doctor – who, in turn, explains the disease to the worried family. The video concludes with the slogan, “Stay clean and hygienic”.

Remember that we’re always here for you with the latest puppets!

Whatever purposes you are buying puppets or associated items for in the weeks and months to come, here at Puppets By Post, we will continue to serve your needs with a broad range of high-quality and well-priced puppets.

With the best in The Puppet Company hand puppets, finger puppets, soft toys,educational book sets, educational items and many other product categories available from our store right now, we’re enabling you to continue buying those puppetry essentials, at the right price.