Hand Puppet - Rod Puppets

Rod Puppets

A rod puppet is manipulated with wooden or wire rods. Rod puppets can sometimes have a complete working hinged mouth but many do not. A rod puppet can have a fixed facial expression. Arms are usually a requirement as rods are attached to them. A fish rod puppet could have a rod attached to the tail to manipulate this section of the puppet. Sometimes special variants exist with additional manipulable parts: (e.g., eyelids that open and close). Many rod puppets depict only the upper half of the character, from the waist up, with the stage covering the missing remainder, but variations sometimes have legs. The legs usually just dangle, but in special cases the legs may be controlled either from behind the stage using rods from below.These are mostly used at carnivals or fairs. A very common example of rod puppets are those of the Muppets, familiar character used on the children's TV show Sesame Street.