Working the Figures
To “work” the figures the performer first puts his hand up the back of the coat, and sticks the tip of his forefinger in the hole in the head. He then places his thumb and second finger in the diminutive sleeves. By this means the puppet can be made to fling his arms about, and move his head in a most grotesque fashion.
The other puppets are constructed on practically the same lines; but in the majority of cases it will be unnecessary to provide them with knickerbockers and legs, as the audience see only the upper part of the bodies above the platform. In these circumstances the attire can take the form of a simple, long, loose gown, such as that worn by the Clown in [Fig. 12].
Fig. 12.—The Clown.
Fig. 13.—Skull head for the Ghost.
Judy’s prepossessing features may be made from another of the dolls’ heads by substituting a beaked nose for the original organ. The lady’s dress consists of a gown made from some red spotted material.
By a judicious application of paint, and by gluing on colored tufts of wood for hair, the remaining heads can be transformed into craniums suitable for the other puppets.