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Playable heritage game

String Marionette Theatre

Also known as Loutkové divadlo

String marionette theatre is a long-loved stage art of Czechia and neighbouring lands. Carved wooden figures hang from strings tied to a hand-held control bar, and the puppeteer standing above the little stage walks, bows and gestures them while speaking their voices.

Play the previewAbout this tradition
String Marionette Theatre: photograph by Adam Jones, Ph.D.
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., CC BY-SA 3.0, source on Wikimedia Commons
String Marionette Theatre: the game in attract modeLive previewPlay

Runs in your browser, works offline once loaded.

How to play

  1. Watch each scene as the marionettes act it out on the little stage.
  2. Tap a choice, or press its number, to decide what happens next.
  3. When the clockmaker asks a riddle, pick the answer you think is right.
  4. Wit and goodwill build as you choose; your ending gives one to three stars.
Rules at a glance
  • The tale branches several ways and has three possible endings.
  • Patient, kind and clever choices earn wisdom points; blame, haste and grabbing earn none.
  • Some choices make the town late or get you bitten, and those cannot be undone.
  • The riddle is answered once; a wrong answer is not fatal but costs wit.
  • Three stars need wit, goodwill and no delays or blame.

About the tradition

Marionette theatre has been played in Czech towns and fairs for centuries, by travelling and family troupes, and is carried on today in permanent puppet theatres and workshops. Wooden figures are often carved from lime wood. This tale is an original town story with the stock jester, mayor and craftsman of such stages.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Classical Worlds (about 1000 BCE to 500 CE), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Northern and Eastern Europe.

Credits

Sources

Get the app

String Marionette Theatre is one of 10 stories and theatre games in the Story & Theatre of the World app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Submitted to the App Store and Google Play; in review. Store links appear here the day it goes live. One app, many traditions, no account needed.

See all 10 stories and theatre games in the app

In review on theApp StoreIn review on theGoogle Play

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