In Absentia (2022)

Liping Vong wears all black and holds a brown paper puppet. The puppet has a staff, is standing on a cloud. Text in bottom right corner reads: In Absentia. Aug 2022. Creator, maker, performer.
 

Written, built, and performed by LIPING VONG, In Absentia chronicles the end-of-life care of a loved one. After learning of her diagnosis of a terminal illness, Grandma cannot understand why things begin disappearing from her home. She is visited by magical beings who usher her to be well through this tumultuous time. In Absentia is an observation of the loss of independence and autonomy and how support for our loved ones can often be misunderstood. In Absentia was created as a part of PuppetLab 2022, a program for emerging puppet and mask theater artists to advance their artistic development. All photos by Bruce Silcox.

COLLABORATORS:
Chamindika Wanduragala — Mentor/Director
Dameun Strange — Sound Design
Nini Music — Composer (Wukong, excerpts)
LIPING VONG — Performer

Liping and Medium Monkey, with a glimpse of “backstage”.

 

In Absentia was so beautiful, funny and resonant. I love it. ❤️

It amazed me how such simple gestures (sounds, movements, materials) were so effective at transporting me into the poetic story.

— Audience member

 

Big Monkey looks at his booger.

 
 

Grandma alone with her illness.

 

you were so visible on stage, but you seemed to disappear. It was like the puppets were alive and you weren’t even there.

— Audience member

 

Liping with Mother Goddess (loosely based off of Nüwa), who’s about to breathe life into clay.

 

In Absentia was so beautiful! Congrats on a lovely, dreamy, poignant show. You are so, so good at bringing things to life. And the mountains!!! Brava!

— Audience member

 

Mother Goddess / Grandma shape the clay, and it comes to life.