A QUARRELING PAIR Comes To La MaMa E.T.C. 10/29-11/8

Following revelatory sell-out seasons at La Mama Melbourne and Malthouse Theatre Melbourne, "A Quarreling Pair" by Australia's Aphids returns to its inspirational and intellectual source, New York City, to be presented by La MaMa E.T.C., 74A East Fourth Street from October 29 to November 8. The production is part of La MaMa Puppet Series 3, a trio of adult puppet Theater Productions that are brimming with international art forms. The series is curated by Denise Greber.

"A Quarreling Pair" is actually an evening of three miniature puppet plays including the play by that name written by American avant-garde writer Jane Bowles in the 1940s. Bowles' play is an intense study of the desire to feel both safe and free in our most precious relationships. Aphids' evening adds two more plays for the same two sister characters, one written by Lally Katz and one written by Cynthia Troup. Both of these plays are filled with Bowles' unique blend of comedy and dark candour and elaborate on her ambivalent imagery.

In "Mr Peterson's Milk" by Lally Katz, the sisters are fearlessly together, sharing a surreal adventure inside the milkman's brain. "And When They Were Good" by Cynthia Troup finds the sisters restless, inhabiting an old fairytale.

The evening vividly combines object theatre, live actors, puppets and music. They are performed by actor Caroline Lee and puppeteer Sarah Kriegler and directed by Margaret Cameron. Sound design is by Jethro Woodward.

This production is part of The La MaMa Puppet Series 3, a trio of adult puppet Theater Productions that are brimming with international art forms. The festival also includes the newest work by Theodora Skipitares, "The Women of Troy" (October 8 to October 25) and Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater in "Twelfth Night (or What You Will)," the timeless Shakespearean tale of mistaken identity and misplaced matrimony, presented in three tea-trays production, adapted and directed by Vít Horejš, with 22 eight-inch toy marionettes and three (more or less) live performers (November 12 to 29). All three shows are $18 general admission. There are special discounts for purchasing multiple shows in the series: the Two Show Combo is $30; the Three Show Combo is $40.

Puppet Series 3 is made possible, in part, through the generous support of the Jim Henson Foundation, Heather Henson and Cheryl Henson.

"A Quarreling Pair" by Jane Bowles was first performed with A Sentimental Playlet by Charles Henri Ford in 1945 or 1946 at Spivy's Roof, New York, with music by Paul Bowles and puppets made by Kurt Seligmann and Arlette Seligman.

This evening of three plays debuted in 2004 at La Mama Theatre, Australia as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. It was subsequently performed in 2005 in the One Van International Puppet Festival, Blue Mountains; in 2006 at Castlemaine State Festival and in 2007 at Malthouse Theatre.

Founded in 1994, Aphids is artist-led, project-driven and not-for-profit. Based in Melbourne, Aphids undertakes cross-artform projects usually involving contemporary music, international cross-cultural exchanges and collaborations. Artistic Director of the company is David Young. Aphids has worked with hundreds of artists in Australia and overseas, with backgrounds in music, theatre, performance, writing, puppetry, architecture, design, visual art, fashion, film, multimedia, digital art, dance, sound art and lighting. The troupe has presented work in Australia, Asia, Europe, South Africa, Central America and the USA.