This fascinating study reveals a world where a suitcase can comment on politics and a marionette can play Faust. It answers the question of why directors, writers, and producers use puppets and objects, investigating their different styles of performance, the distinction between props and performing objects, and how actors learn to animate. Ideal for anyone participating in or directing productions involving puppets or inanimate objects, this book paints a vivid picture of one of the most entertaining forms of theater.