Marionettes tell story of urban grit and wit in Grand Theatre production ‘Wonderful Joe’

Full of charm and grit, here is a preview of ‘Wonderful Joe’ at the Grand Theatre.

In the age of digital effects and imaging, London’s Grand Theatre is debuting a new production, created with a traditional form of puppetry.

Wonderful Joe, which is told through marionettes operated by Ronnie Burkett, opens at Auburn Stage on Nov. 7, and runs through Nov. 23.

“It’s a one-man marionette show for adults,” explains Burkett. “And it’s a story of an old man, Joe Pickle, who is evicted from his longtime apartment on a city street because it’s going to be torn down to make room for a condominium complex. So, he and his old dog, Mister, decide to go on one last grand adventure.”

The story transitions from light-hearted moments to dark topics intended for an adult audience.

“It’s a very hard-hitting show,” Burkett cautioned. “There’s some uncomfortable stuff because we see some street characters who are living the reality of living on the street, you know, sex workers and all that sort of thing. But it’s also very charming, because Joe is a charming guy who has this ability to imagine things that aren’t there. For example, we go into a bar and Joe encounters Jesus, Santa Claus, and the Tooth Fairy.”

Burkett believes the 17 highly detailed marionettes will relate to London audiences who have witnessed dramatic changes in the downtown core over the past two decades.

“There seems to be a revitalization of urban centres, which is good, but it means the gentrification of long-standing neighbourhoods that are gutted to make room for new ones,” he said.

Wonderful Joe has already entertained audiences in major cities across North America.

“This show had a run in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. Quite a long run in Los Angeles, Stanford, and it was played at Lincoln Center in New York last year. So, we’ve been around,” said Burkett.