Anyone see the marionette (string puppet) guy on Graton Street?

Johnny Versace · 13-02-2004 4:54pm #1

Hey,

There is a busker on Grafton Street who plays with a marionette with weird french music playing in the background.

Anyone seen him?

Basically it is a puppet dancing around, walking up to people, falling over, doing weird things. It is so excellent, and actually made me laugh out loud (not common for me!)

I used to think the skanger rapper guy with the weirdo doing the beats behind him was mildly interesting, but this string puppet guy made me realise just how awful, non-artistic etc most buskers are on Dublin streets.

<rant over>

Placebo · 13-02-2004 7:16pm

good old days, reminds me,
you know the square behind the bank, there used to be a muppet guy, sounds similar to the one your mentioning, although he was playing nusrat fata ali, music, asian classical singer, anyway i wish i had a pic, i actually took one back in the day, 2001 i think it was,

conZ · 13-02-2004 7:25pm

I saw him in Galway last Summer - the puppet is a Jester I think.
Brilliantly done.

There was this fat american man watching him, the puppet clippety-clopped over and up his body, then with a swing, knocked the cap off his head. Brilliant.

Quality, 1111 posts

Johnny Versace · 13-02-2004 7:28pm

That's him! I saw him do the hat trick as well

The performace really had quite an effect on me... very beautiful.

revelate · 13-02-2004 8:06pm

yeah, he's great..though some kids have been known to be scared by it!

Raphael · 13-02-2004 8:20pm

hmmmm, havent seen him, tho one cool busker-esque fella was the guy selling the bird noise things. my friend bought won, then we confused passers by by holding a perfectly rational convo, him twittering, me talking

JackKelly · 13-02-2004 8:31pm

how about the three guitarists who play beatles,jimi hendrix and the like.i always spend a few minutes watching them when they play.

Within the last few days, a pianist has turned up on grafton street. Seeing someone playing a piano on the main shopping street on the south side is fairly strange.he's good though

adjodlo · 13-02-2004 8:33pm

Originally posted by Johnny Versace

I used to think the skanger rapper guy with the weirdo doing the beats behind him was mildly interesting,

DO NOT diss the man and the machine!

"Smoke weed and get hiiiigh!!!"

honru · 13-02-2004 9:16pm

Yeah, kids seem to freak out cause they don't know if it's real or not. That's testament to the puppeteer for ye.

Funky · 14-02-2004 7:14pm

i saw him at christmas, amazing puppetry

Kold · 15-02-2004 2:27am

Originally posted by Johnny Versace

I used to think the skanger rapper guy with the weirdo doing the beats behind him was mildly interesting, but this string puppet guy made me realise just how awful, non-artistic etc most buskers are on Dublin streets.

<rant over>

Were they featured in the slate one time?

Nike_Dude · 15-02-2004 6:22pm

Within the last few days, a pianist has turned up on grafton street. Seeing someone playing a piano on the main shopping street on the south side is fairly strange.he's good though

Yeah I thought I was seeing things last friday. Really strange, but good

MrJoeSoap · 16-02-2004 2:15pm

The puppet guy is a legend, but I've learned to keep my distance because he tends to slag people who stand in the circle around him. He once got the puppet to walk up to my mate and smell his feet, upon which time he caught the whiff and collapsed backwards!

The human beat-boxer seems to be pretty amazing as well. A lot better than the average MTV crap anyway.

DArcy · 16-02-2004 2:57pm

TimAy- how about the three guitarists who play beatles,jimi hendrix and the like.i always spend a few minutes watching them when they play.

Those three are excellent...spent forever listening to them on Friday afternoon. The atmosphere was real cosy.

Overunder · 30-05-2008 7:00pm

Johnny Versace wrote: »

Hey,

There is a busker on Grafton Street who plays with a marionette with weird french music playing in the background.

Anyone seen him?

Basically it is a puppet dancing around, walking up to people, falling over, doing weird things. It is so excellent, and actually made me laugh out loud (not common for me!)

I used to think the skanger rapper guy with the weirdo doing the beats behind him was mildly interesting, but this string puppet guy made me realise just how awful, non-artistic etc most buskers are on Dublin streets.

<rant over>

Havnt seen him but I'll keep an eye out for him...Anyone seen Connor Lambert's Punch and Judy show?

Gordon · 30-05-2008 7:12pm

Overunder wrote: »

Havnt seen him but I'll keep an eye out for him...Anyone seen Connor Lambert's Punch and Judy show?

Thredge.

daisy123 · 30-05-2008 7:20pm

Wow. 4 years. Wow.

eldeabroad · 30-05-2008 7:45pm

Oh, he sits at the corner of Beggar's Bush
Astride of an old packing case
And the dolls at the end of the plank were dancing
As he crooned with a smile on his face

Da-da-da-da
Come day, go day
Wish in me heart it was Sunday
Da-da-da-da
Drinkin' buttermilk all the week
And it's whiskey on a Sunday

His tired old hands from a wooden beam
And the puppets they danced up and down
A far better show than you ever will see
In the fanciest theatre in town

Da-da-da-da
Come day, go day
Wish in me heart it was Sunday
Da-da-da-da
Drinkin' buttermilk all the week
And it's whiskey on a Sunday

In nineteen-o-two old Seth Davy died
His song it was heard no more
The three dancing dolls in the dustbin were thrown
And the plank went to mend the backdoor

Da-da-da-da
Come day, go day
Wish in me heart it was Sunday
Da-da-da-da
Drinkin' buttermilk all the week
And it's whiskey on a Sunday

On some stormy night if you're passing that way
When the wind's blowing up from the sea
You may still hear the song of old Seth Davy
As he croons to his dancing dolls three

Da-da-da-da
Come day, go day
Wish in me heart it was Sunday
Da-da-da-da
Drinkin' buttermilk all the week
And it's whiskey on a Sunday
Da-da-da-da
Drinkin' buttermilk all the week
And it's whiskey on a Sunday

as sung by auld Ronnie of course