Question

Briefly describe two audio-visual communication aids.

Answer 1

1. Puppet shows: 
   1. Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance that involves conveying stories or awareness through the manipulation of puppets.
   2. Puppets are inanimate objects that often resemble a human or animal figure.
   3. They are animated or manipulated by a human called a puppeteer or a sutradhar.
   4. Some historians claim that puppet shows predate actors in theatre.
   5. Attractive puppets and voice modulation, along with engaging scripts, are employed by the puppeteers.
   6. This helps them hold the attention of the audience, which includes children and adults, rural and urban people alike.
   7. In India, puppets are given different names in different places.
   8. Puppet shows are not only a form of entertainment but also a means of spreading social messages, just like street plays.
2. Street plays: 
   1. Street theatre or Nukkad Natak is a form of theatrical performance and presentation organised in outdoor public spaces, with or without a specific paying audience.
   2. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or university campuses, promenades, street corners, villages, etc.
   3. This type of communication aid uses scripted or impromptu skits to convey social and educational messages.
   4. Street plays are a potent form of communication and education on social issues like dowry, child labour, and human trafficking.
   5. Theatre artists often begin with humour or satire to engage the audience, and once the audience is engaged, the job of spreading the message is half done.