Last week I started to use a cardboard box as a tool to stage and investigate my re-enactments of handshakes between politicians. The box reminds in a way a puppet theatre within which the hands become the acting puppets. However last week this decision came almost intuitively, and I did not give to much weight to the possible implications of this choice, so in that case the iterations I carried on revolved around the different levels of specificity and ambiguity used to describe the event.

Following the suggestions I received during last week tutorial I decided to explore the possibilities offered by different forms of narrations, so for instance to use the puppet theatre not only as a setting place but instead as a form of theatrical narration.

Inspired by Queneau Exercises in Style, I tried to write different scripts which could describe the handshake between Trump and Shinzo Abe using from time to time a different style of theatrical narration. Finally I added the narrations to the video I had previously shot. The footage is the same but every time it narrates a different story and consequently the power dynamics get strongly transformed.

The Handshake as a Puppet Show

• Hey Mr. Hand, look what a nice palm here
  • Hey! That’s a very nice palm Mr. Hand. Let’s shake hands!
• Who-woh your grip is very firm. I’m impressed
  • Eheh thanks Mr. Hand
  • Hey stop pulling me! also I don’t like when you pat me. AAAHHH again
• Sorry I didn’t mean it. All right I’ll see you around
  • See you!

The Handshake as a Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there was a knightly hand walking around in an enchanted cardboard box. Suddenly out of nowhere a monstrous hand appeared blocking the way. The two engaged in a fight to death. The knightly hand stroke with strength the spine of the monster which fled stunned, so the knightly hand could continue its journey happily ever after.

The Handshake as an Opera

Here the hand, young man,

I’m comfortable with the purchase:

Overall, above and below,

You look like a good son.

You will soon be corporal

If you take me to exemplar.

(I hired my rival:

This too is to be counted.)                                                       from Elisir d’Amore

The handshake as a Erotic Date

1 came to visit 2 in the middle of the night. When 1 entered the room, 2 leaped towards it and they intertwined their limbs. A syncopated dance ensued which took their breath away. Animated moments of passion were alternated with quiet pauses where 1 gently caressed 2’s back. At the first lights of dawn, they separated swearing to meet again the following night.