‘ <i>Enter several strange shapes</i> ’ ( <i>The Tempest</i> 3.3.18SD): Puppets in Footsbarn Travelling Theatre’s productions of Shakespeare

Masks and puppets are a hallmark of productions by Footsbarn Travelling Theatre. Imagined and created by Fredericka Hayter, a founding member, they play an integral role in the design and dramatic action. This article considers the presence of puppets in productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest . Drawing on photograph archives and conversations with Fredericka Hayter, it examines crossovers in Footsbarn's use of masks and puppets as well as interactions between puppets and live performers. It suggests that the puppets’ evanescent lives in performance are informed by the company's nomadic history and guided by pragmatic and aesthetic considerations in the service of text and audience.