'Petrushka' with a Twist
Basil Twist’s production of Petrouchka spins new magic around the music of Stravinsky and the legendary Ballets Russes production, originally commissioned for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Sarah Spitz speaks with KCRW theatre critic James Taylor and master puppeteer Basil Twist.
By Sarah Spitz • • 1 min readBasil Twist’s production of Petrouchka spins new magic around the music of Igor Stravinsky and legendary Ballets Russes production, which was originally commissioned for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The story, set against the music of Igor Stravinsky, tells of the tragic love triangle between three magical puppets; the clown Petrushka, the alluring Ballerina and the dashing Moor whose stories emerge amidst the swirl of the Russian carnival. Nine hidden puppeteers combine Czech and Japanese puppetry traditions in a tour de force of puppetry technique. Sarah Spitz speaks with KCRW theatre critic James Taylor and master puppeteer Basil Twist, creator of this avant garde production.