String & Shadow’s 2023 show is called “Ship of Fools: A Giant Puppet Odyssey.” In it, three mimes set sail from the Port of Styx across the mythical boundary waters connecting the world of the living to the underworld. Aboard a mysteriously sentient ship, they encounter a world of beautiful and strange creatures: hermit crabs carrying houses on their backs, a ghostly humpback whale, and much more. Under layers of colorful fabric and dancing cardboard, Ship of Fools deals with themes of loss and acceptance, depicting a wondrous unknown and speaking to the power of friendship and love. It is brought to life by 3 mimes, 3 musicians, and 6 puppeteers.
