In this exquisite, landmark string-marionette work created by the French company Théâtre de l’Entrouvert, a marionnette made of ice takes center stage. Freely inspired by Henry Bauchau’s novel “Oedipus on the Road,” Anywhere evokes the long wandering of Oedipus accompanied by his daughter Antigone. The fallen Oedipus appears in the form of an ice puppet that gradually melts, then appears as mist and finally disappears in the forest, the place of clairvoyance. Anywhere traces with gentleness and strength a poetic journey, in black and white, of fire and ice, which speaks to us about our bodies, our environment, our fragilities, and our wanderings in the infinite circle of renewal.

The Chicago Puppet Festival initiated this US based ensemble in collaboration with Théâtre de l’Entrouvert to premiere the work in 2023 at the 6th of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. Now the work is being remounted for this 7th edition of the Festival and immediately following in the month of February 2025, Anywhere will make it’s NY debut as the Chicago Puppet Festival presents the work in cooperation with HERE Arts Center. The 2023 development of this U.S. Anywhere ensemble was made possible by the Manaaki Foundation and Ferdi Foundation. The Chicago remount and subsequent NY tour is made possible by leadership support from Julie Moller/Ferdi Foundation, Jordan Shields & Sarah Donovan, The Marshall Frankel Foundation, and Deb & Andy Wolkstein.