Chicago Puppet Fest presents:
– The New York Times‘ Critic’s Pick
In this stunning transformation of Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee’s Booker Prize-winning novel by the same name, a humble man finds solace in nature as he takes an epic journey through a mythical, war-torn landscape. In search of his mother’s ancestral home, he finds strength in his own humanity and a profound connection to the earth. With puppets by Handspring Puppet Company, known for building the War Horse and Little Amal, Cape Town’s Baxter Theatre brings us a new level of exquisite bunraku-style puppet theater.
Dates/Times:
Wednesday, January 22 at 7 pm
Friday, January 24 at 3 pm + 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 25 at 3 pm + 7:30 pm
Sunday, January 26 at 3 pm
Location: Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.
Cost: $48/$40 students & seniors
Ages: 12 and up
Running Time: 115 mins (no intermission)
ADA Accessible? Yes
Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Company bring a powerful adaptation of Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K, blending South African culture with profound visual storytelling. Known worldwide for their expressive puppetry in War Horse, Handspring uses intricate, lifelike puppets to illustrate complex human emotions and societal themes. This year, their performance offers festival goers an emotionally charged journey into resilience and identity.
