German puppeteer, director and teacher. From 1970-1974 Peter Waschinsky studied drama and puppetry at the Staatlichen Schauspielschule, the State theatre school in Berlin (in 1981 renamed Hochschule für Schauspielkunst “Ernst-Busch”, the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art).

On completing his college studies, he directed the shows for solo performers, Regenwürmer (Earthworms) and Kasparett (word play with the words “Kasper” and “cabaret”). In 1976, he became artistic director of the Puppentheater Neubrandenburg (Puppet Theatre of Neubrandenburg) which quickly gained success beyond the region due to such shows as: Der Teilhaber (The Associate, 1977) by Barry Hines, with glove puppets; Furcht und Elend des Dritten Reiches (Fear and Misery of the Third Reich, 1980) by Bertolt Brecht, with string puppets; and Marionettenopern (Operas for Marionettes, 1981), by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed with the Berlin State Opera.

From 1983, Waschinsky worked as a filmmaker, developed a series of improvisations called Puppenjazz (Puppet Jazz) and in the years 1989-1990 campaigned for political change in East Germany. Since then he has created the solo shows Goodbye, Berlin and HAND biss FUSS (Hand bit Foot, with “biss” being a homonym of “bis” which means “until”, “till”, “to”).

Peter Waschinsky has taught at colleges of puppetry in Berlin and Charleville-Mézières. He worked as a puppeteer in actors’ theatre performances in Berlin, Cottbus, and Hamburg. He was director of the plays Gaukler, Gott und Gliedermann (Entertainer, God and Puppet, 1997), after Theodor Storm and Heinrich von Kleist; on two reprises of Faust (1998); and Max und Moritz, die wahre Geschichte (Max and Moritz, the True Story, 2001), after Wilhelm Busch.

An artist of unique creations with a combative attitude, Peter Waschinsky is one of the most significant representatives of contemporary German puppet theatre.

(See Germany.)

Bibliography

  • Taube, Gerd. “Zwischen Performance und Tingeltangel” [Between Performance and Sideshow]. Das andere Theater. No. 29. Berlin, 1997, from p. 49.