At a recent meeting of the Guild council I announced that I would no longer be able to keep WHAT’S ON going in any useful way. Thanks to all who contributed especially the Puppet Theatre Barge and Norwich Puppet Theatre – the only companies to regularly send in copy!
Then I thought what might be useful to puppeteers and puppetry lovers is a list of places where puppetry may be found either as a place of entertainment, exhibition or learning. So, little by little I will try and re-build the page into PUPPET PLACES. If you company/museum/theatre school etc would like to be included please email me: peter@peterpuppet.co.uk.
PUPPET PLACES
- THEATRES
CUMBRIA
PENRITH
Upfront Puppet Theatre
(01768 484538)
LANCASHIRE
ROSSENDALE
Boo Theatre
(01706 220241)
LONDON
BRENTFORD
Watermans
(020 8232 1010)
ISLINGTON
Little Angel Theatre
14 Dagmar Passage, The Angel, Islington, N1 2DN
www.littleangeltheatre.com
020 7226 1787
LITTLE VENICE
The Puppet Theatre Barge
Blomfield Road, Little Venice, London W9 2PF
www.puppetbarge.com email: puppet@movingstage.co.uk
020 7249 6876
NB: There is no wheelchair access in the theatre
NORWICH
Norwich Puppet Theatre
(01603 629 921)
SCOTLAND
BIGGAR
The Biggar Puppet Theatre
(01899 220631)
GLASGOW
Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre
(0141 339 6185)
RHOS-ON-SEA
The Harlequin Marionette Theatre
(01492 548166)
EXHIBITIONS
HAMPSHIRE
Hastings Museum (01424 451052)
Small permanent exhibition of puppets from Hastings Puppet Theatre including Professor Day’s Variety Pie Marionettes. Full set of Punch & Judy puppets and marionettes which include pianist, Joey, Scaramouch, acrobat). Puppeteers were Professor Day (1860 – 1939) and John Alston (until 1953) Free Admission
NYEWOOD: ˜Barley”, Ramshackles, Nyewood, near Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 5JA. Ventriloquists Club of Great Britain: Exhibition of vent figures, puppets & associated memorabilia. Every Friday 2 pm-4 pm
KENT
DEAL
Kent Museum of the Moving Image
(01304 239515)
www.kentmomi.org
includes shadow puppetry
LONDON
Pollocks Toy Museum 1 Scala Street, W1
(020 7635 3452)
10 am – 5 pm Mon – Sat
WELLINGTON
Waterslade Studios
(studios @ forkbeardfantasy.co.uk)
Inter-active puppetry exhibition
SUSSEX
BRIGHTON
Brighton Museum
(0300 029 0900)
Excellent collection of puppets, well displayed.
Tues – Sun 10 am – 5 pm
Brighton Toy & Model Museum
(01273 749 494)
small collection of puppets – but well worth a visit.
Tues – Frid 10 am – 5 pm Sat 11 am – 5 pm
SCOTLAND
GLASGOW
The Scottish Mask & Puppet Theatre Centre 8-10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale,G12
(0141 339 6185)
TRAINING
LONDON
ISLINGTON
Little Angel Theatre
(020 7226 1787)
Curious School of Puppetry (020 7689 3615)
www.curiouspuppetry.com
UK’s newest puppetry training school is led by Sarah Wright, Rene Baker, Toby Olie and Lyndie Wright. The aims of the school are: To develop and encourage the emergence of talent in British puppetry, to provide expert hands-on training for theatre-makers and performers, to build links between existing professionals and developing artists.
SWISS COTTAGE
Central School of Speech and Drama.
BA course in puppetry and MA course in Advanced Theatre Practice (with a focus on puppetry). Details from www.cssd.ac.uk.
LONDON SCHOOL OF PUPPETRY (01756 753495/ 073597357/01453 833293)
Courses in shadow puppetry, marionettes, rods, hand or glove puppetry. A new Diploma course, to run on various Saturdays throughout the year. Marionette carving, choreography, living room theatre, cross arts performances, special needs work. Accredited by Middlesex University. www.londonschoolofpuppetry.com
SUSSEX
SUCCESSFUL PUNCH AND JUDY
Tuition by Glyn Edwards 31 Connell Drive, Brighton, Sussex, BN2 6RT. 01273 308174, email: glyn@punch-and-judy.com website: www.punch-and-judy.com. Tailor-made tuition based on Glyn’s book of the same name. Call to discuss your needs
WALES
MARIONETTE MANIPULATION
Tuition by Christopher Somerville 01492 548166. Tailor-made tuition for singles, couples or groups. All enquiries Email: chris@punchandjudy.com
DORSET
BRISTOL
Puppet Place
(0117 929 3593)