In and Near Heart of the Beast

Thirty years in the Twin Cities, attendance at something like 15 May Day parades and festivals, and I had never been to In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, proper, until yesterday. I went to see two of their Puppetlab premieres, "Mythomania" by Allison Osberg and "Bipolar Lite" by Patty Gille.

Both were very creative and thought-provoking. Osberg's show combined ruminations on lying with thoughts on gardening and narration by a human sweet potato. Her interpretations of what constitutes a puppet were especially fun. Gille's show was a musical cabaret about being a bipolar artist, and included one of the best portrayals of depression I've ever seen.

No photos of any of that, of course (though I was sorely tempted!), but here are a few from the lobby:


The two large masks above the ticket counter give you an idea of the HoBT aesthetic, if you're not familiar with it.


This sign is behind the concessions stand. Note the small sign at bottom left that says "Thank you, water." HoBT has been talking about public drinking water for more than a decade.


This drawing was part of the assemblage of ideas for the May Day parade that filled one wall of the lobby. The guy in the middle (who looks a bit like Neil DeGrasse Tyson) is the franchisee, riding the back of a fast-food worker. He in turn is ridden by corporate.


Just up the street from the HoBT building, these signs overlooked the Midtown Greenway bike path.