Instructors Guide for
About the Puppets
The puppets used in Aladdin are rod puppets. These figures
are manipulated from below the stage. They are full-length,
supported by a rod running inside the body to the head.
Separate thin rods may move the hands and, if necessary, the
legs.
Here are several examples of rod puppets.
American puppeteer Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin
made these figures in the 1930s
.
About the Story
Aladdin is a story from One Thousand and One Nights, which is a
collection of West and South Asian stories and folk tales. It is often
known in English as The Arabian Nights, from the first English language
edition (1706), which was entitled The Arabian Nights' Entertainment.
The stories were collected over many centuries by various authors,
translators, and scholars across West, Central, South Asia and North
Africa. The tales themselves trace their roots back to ancient and
medieval Arabic, Persian, Indian, Egyptian and Mesopotamian folklore
and literature.
This is the cover of one of the many versions of The Arabian Nights
that have been available over the years.
The Story
Aladdin, a poor boy living in ancient Baghdad, is recruited by an evil
Magician who has disguised himself as the brother of Aladdin's late
father, Mustapha the tailor. The Magician convinces Aladdin and his
mother of his good will by pretending to make arrangements to set up
the lad as a wealthy merchant. The Magician's real motive is to
persuade young Aladdin to retrieve a magic oil lamp from a mysterious
cave. Aladdin finds himself trapped in the cave. Fortunately, he has a
magic ring lent to him by the Magician as protection. When he rubs the
ring, a genie appears who takes him home to his mother. Aladdin still
has the lamp from the magic cave. When his mother tries to clean it up
to sell it, a second far more powerful genie appears who is bound to do
the bidding of the person holding the lamp. With the aid of the genie
of the lamp, Aladdin becomes wealthy and powerful and marries
Princess Badre-al-Budor, the Sultan's daughter. The genie also builds
Aladdin a wonderful palace. The Magician returns and is able to
regain the lamp by tricking Aladdin's wife (who is unaware of the
lamp's importance) by offering to exchange "new lamps for old". He
orders the genie of the lamp to take the palace along with all its
contents to his home in Egypt. Fortunately, Aladdin still has the magic
ring and is able to summon the lesser genie. Although the genie of the
ring cannot directly undo any of the magic of the genie of the lamp, he
is able to transport Aladdin to the deserts of Northern Africa where he
recovers the lamp, destroys the Magician, and returns the palace
(complete with the princess) to its proper place.
Before the Show
Read the story of Aladdin as it appears in this guide. The Puppet Co.
production follows the original version of Aladdin as it appears in the
translation by Sir Richard Burton. You, your children, or students, may
be more familiar with versions of the story, in particular the Disney
version, which may be less faithful to the original. For instance, the
fact that there are two genies in the story will be surprising to many.
The names of the characters may also be surprising. We use the names
as they appear in The Arabian Nights, and we pronounce them as they
may have sounded in ancient times.
After the Show
The story of Aladdin is filled with magic, spirits, and genies both great
and small. Here’s are a few questions regarding the use of magic in
this story:
1. The Magician is able to summon the spirits, but is he controlling the
spirits, or are the spirits controlling him? Can you think of examples?
2. Aladdin grows from being a rambunctious boy to being a strong,
responsible man in the story. Do the spirits and genies help and guide
him, or lead him astray?
3. One of the genies does Aladdin’s bidding - the other actually
controls him. Which is which?
Theater Etiquette
A visit to the Puppet Co. Playhouse may be the very first trip to any
theatrical performance for some of your students. We want this to be a
happy experience for everyone. Before you enter the theater, our
House Manager, the person who is responsible for your safety and
comfort during the performance, will welcome you, and will inform you
about the seating of you group. At some of the performances, one of
the performers will come out to introduce the show and remind
everyone about theater “manners” using this easy to remember poem:
Please don’t eat, and stay down in you seat.
Don’t walk about, and don’t talk or shout.
Don’t take pictures or touch the display fixtures,
And, if the babies bawl, take them down the hall!
Have a great visit to the Puppet Co. Playhouse!