Manipulation and Animation: Theatrical Construction of the Relationship Between "Self" and "Other" in Puppetry Performance

Abstract

As an ancient performing art with contemporary vitality, puppetry demonstrates rich aesthetic characteristics and philosophical connotations in contemporary theatrical practice. Taking the puppetry performance in the contemporary drama. When a Tooth Falls in Love with the Dentist’s Front Tooth (hereinafter referred to as “The Tooth”) as the research object, this paper starts from the basic characteristics of puppetry, and deeply explores the construction of the relationship between "self" and "other", the aesthetic mechanism of anthropomorphic performance, and the reconstruction of performing subject identity in the co‑performance of humans and puppets. By combining theoretical analysis and case study, this paper argues that puppetry is not only a display of skills, but also a philosophical exploration of life, subjectivity and the spectator‑performer relationship.