RIYADH — The art of puppetry is an ancient form of theater. A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. There are many different varieties of puppets, as they are made of a wide range of materials depending on their form and intended use. They can be extremely complex or very simple in their construction. Astariqs' “Puppet House” is run by its founder Asma Tariq who organizes Puppet Shows for kids every few months. Recently a large number of mothers with their children visited another Puppet Show which was held in collaboration with Saudi Gazette. As the curtains lifted, puppet Barbra (puppeteer Maha) was sitting with her pet Sparky (puppeteer Eman) on the stage. Barbra, the host of the Puppet Show, entertained the audience with her funny acts and remarks. She introduced her new friend and celebrity Princess (Puppeteer Eman). The purpose to call the Princess, who wore a pink tutu and a glittery tiara, on stage was to highlight the achievements one can get in the field of fashion. She perfectly danced on “Cuppy Cake” and “Barbie Girl,” as the audience clapped, cheered and asked for more. Eeyore (puppeteer Asma) with Sparky interacted with the kids in a question and answer session, the aim of which was to show children's love for their mothers. Each child was asked a question about their mother and were given candies and hugs by Eeyore. To appreciate fathers, Lucy (puppeteer Eman) and Dad (puppeteer Maha) displayed through their performance a touching father-daughter relationship. Astariqs also introduced three talented children in this show, one of them being Laiba Rashid who performed as a doll in a music box. The second talented child was five-year-old Shayaan who played the piano in various tunes and sounds. And the third talented child was Ayaan who performed on a rhyme Old McDonald. Children's favorite cartoon character Mickey Mouse (puppeteer Eman) wowed the audience with his charming conversation before performing on “Hotdog.” An act about a fish (puppeteer Maha) was delivered to increase the children's knowledge about fish. Eraj, Nabeeha, and Laiba performed with the Happy Band. On popular demand, Princess came on stage once again to sing and dance with the children. At the end of the show, Asma Tariq introduced the puppeteers and distributed gifts sponsored by Darussalam. Children clicked pictures with their favorite puppets after the show. Recitation of a few verses from the Qur'an was done by Fabeeha. Asma Tariq believes that such healthy activities for kids should continue and the art of puppetry should be encouraged just like other mediums of entertainment. — SG
