Cover With humble beginnings as a set and costume designer, Kayla Teodoro’s journey in puppetry has since blossomed into major projects like ‘My Neighbor Totoro’, ‘Spirited Away’, ‘Spitting Image’, ‘Lion King’, and ‘Life of Pi’ (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
With humble beginnings as a set and costume designer, Kayla Teodoro’s journey in puppetry has since blossomed into major projects like ‘My Neighbor Totoro’, ‘Spirited Away’, ‘Spitting Image’, ‘Lion King’, and ‘Life of Pi’ (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
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This adaptation of Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi’ by the National Theatre in the United Kingdom is brighter and more alive thanks to its ingenious puppetry and the people who work behind the scenes
Kayla Teodoro is involved with the big puppets we see in the National Theatre of London’s Life of Pi adaptation. Backstage, she handles maintenance calls and makes sure that the enchanting world of the play remains as captivating and immersive on stage as it appears on the big screen.
“We make sure that all puppets are where they need to be at the right time,” Teodoro shares with Tatler. The creative, who also co-founded Puppet Theater Manila, reveals that her eagerness to work on the Life of Pi stage adaptation caught the attention of its stage manager, Emma Cook.
“I worked on the Life of Pi stage adaptation towards the end of its run last year. I initially applied for the job a few months before, but didn’t get it at first,” Teodoro discloses. “I’ve let them know that I really wanted to learn how to work with puppets backstage; Emma Cook eventually tapped me—I was truly fortunate to have been taught by amazing people as it was also my first job on the West End. This propelled my career in London.”
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Above Between running Puppet Theater Manila and working as a freelancer, Kayla Teodoro makes time to teach puppetry to kids of all ages (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
Between running Puppet Theater Manila and working as a freelancer, Kayla Teodoro makes time to teach puppetry to kids of all ages (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
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For those who have yet to see the adaptation, Life of Pi follows the incredible journey of a 16-year-old Indian stranded at sea with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker and three other survivors—a hyena, a zebra, and an orangutan. The story touches on survival, spirituality, and the profound connection between humans and the natural world.
Similar to the protagonist Pi, Teodoro often experiences a deep yearning to establish a stronger connection with her craft. She explains that through puppetry, people will have a deeper appreciation for stories that would otherwise be confined to words on a page.
“Puppetry allows us to convey things that we can’t usually show on stage,” she explains. “Around the world, it is used to portray animals, mythical creatures, and even people that aren’t around anymore. Puppetry is something that we get to embrace from early on in life. It is essentially playing and make-believe. Puppetry allows people of all ages to suspend their disbelief and immerse themselves in the story.”
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Above Kayla Teodoro directs puppetry for the new Repertory Philippines musical (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
Kayla Teodoro directs puppetry for the new Repertory Philippines musical (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines)
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The puppet stage manager admits that working on Life of Pi was not easy, yet the people she works with make the job worthwhile. “The play was really fun to work on, though I was stressed when I first started. I had not worked backstage in a very long time so learning the puppet track was challenging,” she says.
“Despite this, everyone backstage was extremely helpful and friendly. You could see that everyone had each other’s backs and made sure that you also hit all your cues if you needed any help,” she adds.
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Teodoro asserts that diversity in the workforce is something that she and other Asian talents on the West End advocate for. “It was great to be able to work with other Asians. Right now, diversity is something that many theatre professionals are trying to advocate for here in London,” she says. “Life of Pi has given so many Southeast Asians an opportunity to tell their own stories authentically. While backstage professionals are still catching up on the representation front, it is still very exciting to see that shows are being produced.”
The artist has one advice for those who seek to follow in her footsteps: never stop dreaming. “Keep going for what you want,” she says. “Puppetry is niche and something I never thought I’d do for a living. I am so lucky that I have had some supportive people behind me. So if you’d like to get into puppetry or any niche industry, try to find a good support system.”
Life of Pi is the first production lined up under the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ newly-minted programme, CCP National Theatre Live, which aims to provide the best of the National Theatre in the United Kingdom to the Philippine big screens and make international theatre accessible to local theatre enthusiasts, playwrights, artists, and the broader public.
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Images: Cultural Center of the Philippines
Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
