Grupo Contadores de Estorias

For sure, I went into this one blind. But when I heard of there being a puppet show in Paraty I felt I had little choice but to check it out and add to the quirky charm of the place.

The show was pretty interesting too. The puppets were hand manoeuvred rather than on a string (I'm sure there's a better word for that), and as such were so expertly manipulated that there was no trouble believing that they were in fact alive and I soon forgot that the puppeteers were even there. There were no words spoken during the seven stories told, each with its own universally understood message. My favourites were the flirty old couple and the suicide. From the start it was clear that the themes were quite adult and in some places it even put Team America to shame; for me Conception went on a little too long.

But it seems that my first hunch was right and the show did indeed add to the general vibe I was getting from Paraty. It was a lovely way to spend an evening in an equally lovely town and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who happens to visit Paraty.