Swiss puppet theatre established in Lausanne in 1969 by Éric Mérinat. A young actor at the time, Mérinat is said to have discovered the poetic nature of puppets through the productions of Michel Poletti, director of the Teatro Antonin Artaud. The company settled in Canada in 1972 where, for about three years, it took part in a daily television programme for children. Isabelle Grenier, a puppeteer from Quebec, joined the troupe and returned with it to Lausanne in 1984. Théâtre Globule performed at a number of American and European festivals where it was specially noted for its favourite technique: the manipulation in full view of puppets made of Bristol paper using a variety of methods.
Magical epics and poetic tales, adapted or written by Éric Mérinat, formed the core of the company’s repertoire and performances were geared mainly for a younger audience. It also regularly mixed roles for actors and the play of the puppets in the same show. Graphic artists like Gérald Zahnd, and musicians like Anne Lauber, Roger Baudet and Will Maes often worked with the Globule.
From 1994 onwards, Éric Mérinat was also the chief administrator and artistic director of the Double Jeu puppet theatre association where performances by the home company alternated with productions staged by a number of guest puppet troupes. Co-productions with other puppet theatres were encouraged and enlivened the repertory.
From the time it was established, the Globule produced some forty original creations and performed close to two thousand shows. Its best-known plays are: Perles de Pluie (Pearls of Rain, 1969), Le Croque-Nature (1973), Il était autrefois (Once Upon a Time, 1975), Comédie de papier (A Paper Comedy, 1982), Roméo et Juliette (1983), Vous avez dit Pingouin? (Did You Say Penguin?, 1989), Écureuil, mon œil (A Squirrel. Nonsense, 1994), La Ballade de Monsieur Jim (The Ballad of Mr Jim, 1996), Mr Atwerton a cassé ses lunettes (Mr Atwerton Has Broken His Glasses, 1999), Rue Séraphine (Seraphine Street, 2003), La Vie des oiseaux (The Life of Birds, 2004), Ragoût d’loup (Wolf Stew, 2007), Docteur Miracle (2009).
(See Switzerland.)