Exploring Elise Vigneron’s ephemeral puppetry, where ice takes the lead and the story melts into time.

I relate to the work of Elise Vigneron with her company Théâtre de l’Entrouvert.
In one piece, she performs an Oedipus figure made entirely out of ice. Instead of a traditional wooden marionette with strings and joints, the material itself becomes the character, changing form as the story unfolds. As the performance progresses, the puppet melts in front of the audience. Its disappearance becomes part of the narrative. After each show, the figure is re-cast, ready to return and melt again. I’m drawn to how she works with time and transformation. The performance follows the material’s rhythm, not the other way around. It’s a kind of storytelling that feels alive.