XN000022-1978-06-19 — Page 5

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 1979

PUPPETS ARE NEW MESSAGE MEDIUM

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THE GOVERNMENT BROKE NEW GROUND TODAY BY INTRODUCING A PUPPET THEATRE AS A MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION TO HELP CONVEY CAMPAIGN MESSAGES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

TO LAUNCH THE PUPPET THEATRE, MR. PETER MOSS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (PUBLICITY) OF THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UNVEILED THE +POPIS+ DURING LUNCH-HOUR AT EDINBURGH PLACE.

THE +POPIS+, MR. MOSS EXPLAINED, ARE +PUPPETS OF PUBLIC INTEREST+, DESIGNED TO PUT ACROSS INFORMATION OF VALUE TO THE PUBLIC ON A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS AFFECTING THEIR INTERESTS.

HE SAID THE PUPPETS HAD EVOLVED FROM A PUBLICITY MEDIUM THE STREET THEATRE -- WHICH THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES PIONEERED IN HONG KONG IN 1974.

+ THIS CONSISTED OF A RETIRED PUBLIC WORKS LORRY, CONVERTED AT MODEST EXPENSE SO THAT THE PLATFORM FOLDED OUT INTO A STAGE, FITTED WITH LIGHTING, A PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM AND ITS OWN PORTABLE GENERATOR.

+SINCE ITS INCEPTION FOUR YEARS AGO, THE STREET THEATRE HAS MOUNTED SOME BOO SHOWS, INVOLVING A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTS RANGING FROM DRAMA SKETCHES, CHOIRS AND POP GROUPS TO KUNG FU AND MAGIC ROUTINES, HE RECALLED,

+ IT HAS TRAVELLED MANY ROADS, TAKING ENTERTAINMENT TO CROWDED WEEKEND BEACHES, TO INDUSTRIAL AREAS, TO DENSELY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL ESTATES AND TO FISHING COMMUNITIES.

+UNDERLYING THE ENTERTAINMENT HAS BEEN AN EQUALLY VAR IED RANGE OF MESSAGES ON TOPICS OF PUBLIC INTEREST, FROM INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TO CRIME PREVENTION, FROM EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO RABIES CONTROL, NOT FORGETTING THOSE FAMILIAR REMINDERS TO KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN.

+ THE MESSAGE HAS NEVER BEEN OBTRUSIVE, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE PHILOSOPHY THAT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE AUDIENCE INTERESTED THE SHOW MUST COME FIRST, MR. MOSS SAID.

THE PRODUCER OF THE PUPPET SHOW WAS MR. BILL YIM, WHO DESIGNED THE CARICATURE FIGURES.

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