The Man Who Planted Trees
A captivating puppetry adaptation by Puppet State
Theatre Company of Jean Giono’s environmental
cult classic. A French shepherd sets out with his
dog to plant a forest and transform a barren
wasteland. A uniquely memorable blend of
comedy and inspiring storytelling.
Performed by Richard Medrington (AA Milne’s Winnie
The Pooh) and Rick Conte (Catherine Wheels’ Martha,
Snow Baby), directed by Ailie Cohen (Jazz Mouse,
Rumplestiltskin).
Touring Non-Stop Since Sell-Out shows at 2006 Edinburgh Fringe
“Should not be missed” Puppet Notebook.
“The best show I have seen so far this Fringe.” Edinburgh Guide
“A multi-sensual and visually witty hour of children’s theatre.” The Stage
“It is very, very rare to find something that appeals as effortlessly to children and
adults as this magical show.” ***** Scotsman.
“Not only can you hear the wind and smell the lavender in this production, you also
get to meet Dog- arguably the coolest, most loveable puppet since Kermit.”
Scotsman
Audience Suitability
Suitable for adults and children from the age of about 7, but also loved by most 5 and
6 year olds. The multi-sensory nature of the show (with scents and effects of wind
and rain) makes it ideal for people with a range of special needs.
Fees
We tour throughout the UK and also undertake international touring. Please contact
us for details of prices, which are usually within the scope of even quite small venues
but do vary somewhat depending on the venue and distance from Edinburgh! Ring
0131 441 9693.
Workshops
Puppet State also offer workshops on puppetry, poetry, storytelling and performance
skills for children and for teachers’ continuing professional development.
Post-Show Workshop These workshops may include writing, drawing, a look
behind the scenes and discussion of environmental and other issues raised by the
story. See our website www.puppetstate.com for downloadable teachers’ notes.
Poetry Richard Medrington and Elspeth Murray offer creative writing workshops for
children of all ages. They are both accomplished poets and have been involved with
numerous poetry projects. From nature poetry to nonsense poetry and more.
Puppetry Director and designer Ailie Cohen is an experienced puppetry artist and
has designed templates for simple woodland sock puppets which are downloadable
from our website.
We are also developing classroom resources
to download from www.puppetstate.com
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Links with Many Curricular Themes
People and Place: Deforestation, desertification and reforestation,
sustainability, rural and urban population patterns, urban microclimates, forest
ecology, hydrological cycles, trees and carbon dioxide sequestration.
People in the Past: WW1 battles, WW2 and Nazi occupation of France, past
and present fuel crises, historic land use in Scotland, crofting communities,
forests and oral history, history of conservation and environmental movements.
People in Society: How trees affect neighbourhood relationships and quality of
life, role of trees in reducing urban violence, local and national environmental
policies, trees and the economy, community planting initiatives.
Personal and Social Development: Citizenship, creativity, self esteem, fame
and obscurity, work and leisure, short and long term goals and planning,
patience and resilience, physical and mental health, happiness and wellbeing.
English (and French) Language & Literature: Reading and listening to Jean
Giono’s text, appreciation of genre, issues of fiction, biography, translation,
describing own and others’ experiences in journals, prose and poetry.
Art and Design: French landscape painters, portraits, impressionism,
printmaking, photography, expressing character, landscape, seasonal colour
and growth through different media and representational styles.
Drama: Storytelling and tension, characterisation, role play, dramatising a
story, improvisation, puppet manipulation, using space (props, sound, lighting,
costume) to create dramatic scenes and communicate meaning.
Press Reviews
“A multi-sensual and visually witty hour of children’s theatre.” The Stage
“The drama is peppered with a host of simple but effective touches, from the wafting
of smells into the audience at appropriate intervals right down to the utterly lifelike
way in which a puppet drinks a pail full of water. And for all the laughs to be had
along the way, the ending, when it comes, is genuinely touching. In the performance I
saw I noticed the middle-aged man in the seat next to me take out a hankie and wipe
a tear from his eye.”
***** The Scotsman.
Audience Feedback
“Amazing. Not only the best thing I have seen this year, but the best thing I have
seen at the Fringe ever!”
“Magical, entrancing and very, very funny. This is a marvellous show - for children
and adults alike. With a beautiful set and wonderfully creative puppets and props, it
was an utterly absorbing performance. We had a glorious time, and laughed till our
sides hurt. The two actors combined stunning effects with poignancy, powerful drama
and high comedy.”
See all our reviews by linking from www.puppetstate.com
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The Man Who Planted Trees
Jean Giono was asked by Reader's Digest to write a story for a feature entitled 'The
Most Extraordinary Person I Have Ever Known'. They loved it until they discovered
that the main character didn't actually exist. Giono said, 'If you didn't want fiction you
shouldn't have come to a novelist'. They never printed the story. It was first published
in Vogue in 1954 and Giono subsequently gifted it to the public domain. There is still
discussion as to how much the story is based on real people and events. Jean
Giono’s story has inspired many environmentalists including Nobel Peace Prize
winner Wangari Maathai, whose Greenbelt Movement has been responsible for
planting over 30 million trees in Africa.
“I wrote this story to make people love trees, or more precisely to make people love
planting trees. Of all my stories it is one of the ones of which I am most proud. It has
never earned me a penny and for that reason it has accomplished the very purpose
for which it was written.” Jean Giono, 1957
But this is much more than a story about planting trees: it is a wonderful parable of
life, the tale of a human being who saw a need that he was able to meet and decided
not to ignore it but to “put things right” . He received no fame, payment or recognition,
yet his life of dedication brought him extraordinary health and happiness. The story is
also known as “The Man Who Planted Hope and Reaped Happiness” and it holds a
vital message for this generation. Everyone should know this story! Maybe we all
have a supply of acorns hidden away somewhere...
Left to Right: Elspeth Murray, Rick Conte, Ailie Cohen, Richard Medrington
Puppet State Theatre Company
Puppet State have been based in Edinburgh since 1992, producing a series of high
quality shows and touring throughout the UK, including sell-out runs at the National
Theatre in London. In 2003 Artistic Director Richard Medrington was shortlisted for
the prestigious Creative Scotland Awards. Puppet State has met the widespread
interest in The Man Who Planted Trees by taking on administrative support from
Jennifer Williams and guidance from a board of advisors highly qualified in the fields
of theatre, education and the environment.
Contact: Richard Medrington & Elspeth Murray
1 West Colinton House, 40 Woodhall Road
Edinburgh EH13 0DU 0131 441 9693
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richard@puppetstate.com www.puppetstate.com
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