Behind the scenes at Handspring

Timing is everything

As Associate Director Lara Foot puts it, “It’s not just about hitting the mark, but the trajectory of the experience.” In puppetry, theatre, and movement, timing is everything. A single misstep—a slight delay in a transition, an offbeat in delivery—can break the immersive spell woven on stage.

That’s why, after each rehearsal, the team meticulously reviews notes, analyzing every moment. Where does the rhythm falter? Does a sound cue need adjustment? Should a puppeteer hit their mark more swiftly? These minute changes, imperceptible to the casual observer, play an enormous role in creating a seamless experience for the audience.

Even the backstage flow is carefully orchestrated. Every prop placement is deliberate, ensuring puppeteers can transition between scenes with precision. These seemingly small details add up to an uninterrupted, journey—one that holds the audience in its grasp from the first moment to the last. Because in the world of theatre, every second counts.

Since 2010, we’ve taken part in an annual puppet parade and outdoor performance in Barrydale, a rural town in South Africa. Here, puppetry has become a powerful tool for reimagining the town’s past and engaging with contemporary life. With the guidance of Net Vir Pret, a local NGO, young people explore themes of animal studies, ecology, race, history, and theatre production in preparation for each year’s show. Many have gone on to become the first in their families to study at the University of the Western Cape. This experience reaffirmed for us the transformative impact of art—not just on communities, but on individuals. It also underscored a key belief: theatre is not confined to four walls. This was the foundation for Little Amal.

The puppet we were asked to create is the representation of a young refugee child searching for her mother. To bring her to life, the puppeteers must embody her spirit, evoking empathy and emotion in a deeply moving performance.
Amal is a large rod puppet, standing at 3.5 metres tall. When we were first approached to design a young girl of this height, stilts emerged as the best solution. Craig Leo, an experienced stilt walker and longtime collaborator, helped us achieve the towering presence needed for her character.

Her body is crafted from molded cane, bound together with care. Her head, hands, arms, and legs are made from carbon fiber—chosen for its strength and lightness. Inside the puppet, a performer stands on stilts, supporting the torso and controlling the head.

Operating Little Amal requires three puppeteers working in unison: one inside the body managing her head, and two outside animating her arms. This collective synchronization, known as group mind, is key to her presence and believability.

Unlike traditional puppets, Little Amal does not have a voice. Instead, she communicates through whispering interpreters who relay her thoughts, as well as through gesture and micro-movement—a nuanced physical language we have refined over the years.

Though largely low-tech, using levers and poles, Little Amal incorporates a small but sophisticated element: a micro-computer controlling her eyes, allowing for subtle expressions and gestures. A dedicated team of 10 to 12 puppeteers take turns operating her, with three identical versions of the puppet built to ensure performances continue uninterrupted. The sheer scale and ambition of this project made it an unmissable challenge—one that even brought us out of retirement. It was also a response to the times, creating a unique, safe, outdoor theatre experience in the wake of COVID-19.