Puppets enthrall children

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 8, 22 July 1986, Page 27

Puppets enthrall children

Tne Strings Attached Puppet Theatre from Christchurch, in the form of West German Norbert Hausberg and his wooden friends, presented Alladin and his Lamp at Raetihi, Ohakune and Waiouru schools recently.

Children from Rangataua and Ngamatea schools and Kindergarten also attended. Norbert has been touring his theatre for the whole of the second term and enjoys meeting children. Hesaid he has never had a serious problem of children getting out of hand, even though he performs before 200 or more. As the puppeteer can be seen by the audience, manipulating the strings and making the sound effects, the children are doubly impressed. Norbert came to New Zealand in 1982. He had learned the craft of puppet making and performance in Germany and found it was popular here. He hand-carves, paints, strings and dresses each puppet himself. He calls them his extended family and says he has to have an extra bedroom for them at home. He performs six fairy tales which occupy most of his time. However he also does other work such as educational performances for museums and birthday parties. He says he must be versatile to survive. Norbert enjoys life in New Zealand and says he would never return to Germany. This is especially since the atomic power station accident in the Soviet Union which he says really brought the problems faced by Europe home to him