In an artistic attempt to express opposition to the war with Iraq, Bread & Puppet, a puppet theater, performed Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. in Hillside Lounge. Bread & Puppet, which originated in New York City and is now based in Vermont, travels around the world to address social justice issues.
Wednesday’s performance “Insurrection Mass with Funeral March for a Rotten Idea” attacked both the Bush administration as well as human violations of war, and in particular, the war in Iraq. The performance included Bread & Puppet’s creator Peter Schumann as well as six other Bread & Puppet performers and various UR students and community members.
“This is a really great way to raise awareness – something artistic,” sophomore and performer John Zeiser said.
The “mass” began with an introduction to their papier-m”che gods, followed by an opening prayer. The mass, which is said to be “a non-religious service in the presence of papier-m”che gods,” according to Bread & Puppet’s pamphlets, highlighted the loss of human life as well as the butchering of truth in the rhetoric presented by governments.Some students traveled from as far as Buffalo to see the performance and even participate in the show. “I thought it was great,” University of Buffalo student and performer Jennifer LaMastra said. “I thought it was clever. I thought it was appropriate.”
“It was educational without being preachy,” fellow UB student Elizabeth Geuss said.
Some students also enjoyed the opportunity to perform with a famous alternative theater. Bread & Puppet has performed from Milan, Italy to Moscow, Russia to Nicaragua. “Half of the reason I signed up was that I love experimental theater. I really think people should be educated,” UR freshman and performer Kenny Thierer said.
The Bread & Puppet show began before the performance in Hillside, with a protest march that covered the entire campus including Wilson Commons and Danforth Dining Hall. Performers from the show, wearing white attire and carrying drums and banners proclaiming “Pre-emptive massacre” caught the attention of UR students and faculty alike as they announced anti-war sentiments. The protestors completed the evening with another march deemed the “funeral march,” expressing the burial of the idea “war is peace.”
Through cryptic messages such as “Peace is the war against corn and potatoes,” and “Peace is the war of the mediocre apple tree against the apple tree shredder” Bread & Puppet communicated their belief that the war in Iraq was an unjust one because of the power and influence of the United States.
Tanner can be reached at rtanner@campustimes.org.
