The practice for my PhD is the creation of a bespoke non-verbal multi-scale puppet performance for the street to test whether puppets are effective in communicating a climate change message to audiences of all ages and cultures.

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A giant puppet and small human share playful stories of care and connection with our living earth. Gaia is the awe-inspiring earth mother and Maia is her inquisitive human companion. Together, through spectacle, puppetry, and playful storytelling they invite families to explore climate change, reconnect with nature, and discover how small acts of care can make a big difference for the future of our shared planet. 

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Created by Bev Adams Arts with Kerith Ogden and Thingumajig Theatre. Small puppets and props by Tony Wade. Original music composed by Charlie Wells.The project, conceived by Bev Adams, is inspired by the Gaia Hypothesis (James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, 1974)* and, with permission, Oberon Zell’s Millennial Gaia Sculpture (1998).   

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Gaia and Maia is performed by Natasha Holmes and Deborah Sanderson with Bev Adams as manager/researcher.  The performance lasts 30 minutes and can be performed up to 3 times a day. A space, out of public view, with a minimum ceiling height of 3m, is essential to prepare the puppet prior to each performances. 

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*Lovelock, James. and Margulis, Lynn. 1974 Atmospheric homeostasis by and for the biosphere: The Gaia Hypothesis. In: Tellus Vol 26. pp 2-10.

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