Making Theatre Gaining Skills are running a one week Puppet Festival in Bognor Regis! Come along and see a variety of puppetry pleasures including open-air walkabouts, theatrical performances and workshops.
Our schedule includes a variety of events suitable for all ages – with family friendly shows, zoom conferences and both free and ticketed events – there’s something for everyone!
All tickets for family friendly shows are £3 per person.
Book tickets now: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/making-theatre
Programme
- Events run during the week Monday 31st May to Friday 4th June.
Arbor The Tree
Mon 31 May – 11:30am, 1:30pm & 3pm @ Makerspace / All Ages – £3
Watch Arbor as he strides around, vanishing between trees and emerging with his cart full of tree saplings. Arbor tells the story of a tree pushed from his home and his fight to preserve his future, featuring amazing puppets, and beautiful visual storytelling, we learn how Arbor came to be. Encouraging the audience to plant and nurture their own trees, Arbor will give each family a sapling to take home, leaving a legacy that will last for generations.
Presented by Smoking Apples Theatre
Professor Octavia’s Magical Menagerie
Tues 1 June – 1pm & 2:30pm @ Makerspace / All Ages – £3
Roll up and gather ’round! Professor Octavia’s Magical Menagerie is about to begin! She has seen the sunsets of the Serengeti, traversed the trails of the tropics, and been awed by the Aurora Borealis; and now it is your turn to experience the magic for yourself.
Let us introduce to you new and exciting animals from around the world. Audiences will have the chance to interact with some unusual creatures, including the naughty little jackalope and a woman made entirely of ice. After the show, children are invited to meet the animals in a petting-zoo style experience.
Presented by Dread Falls Theatre
Arthur’s Dream Boat
Wed 2 June – 12pm & 2pm @ Makerspace / All Ages – £3
One night, Arthur has an amazing dream about a beautiful pink and green boat with a stripy mast. He can’t wait to tell everyone about it but no one (not even his dog!) is interested. In fact, they don’t even notice that this very same boat is growing on his head, getting larger and larger by the minute!
Soon, Arthur is bouncing along the waves in his very own dream boat. Maybe now his family will listen to him! A magical playful children’s show with breathtaking puppets, so enchanting that everyone will want to sail away with Arthur in his dream boat! The show is aimed at 2- 7 year olds, but fun for all the family.
Presented by Long Nose Puppets
Pied Piper
Thur 3 June – 11am & 2pm @ Makerspace / All Ages – £3
When the Pied Piper plays his flute the rats run, the greedy mayor rubs his hands and the children dance…
Norwich Puppet Theatre’s humorous and irresistible one person show combines a skilful mix of puppetry, foot-tapping music and storytelling and will have audiences young and old entranced.
Presented by Norwich Puppet Theatre
Table-Top Show
Fri 4 June – 1pm @ Makerspace / Age 12 & Older – £3
Showcase of puppetry from the University of Portsmouth – enjoy a collection of diverse experiments in using puppetry performed by students. This year’s students will bring the weird and the wonderful outcomes of their work on the puppetry module.
This year’s work is the product of playing with different styles of puppetry including rod puppets, shadow puppetry, object experimentation and even an unstuffed teddy bear. A great chance to see different ways of approaching the wonderful artform of puppetry.
Presented by University of Portsmouth
Workshops & more
Alongside performances during the week we’re also running various puppetry themed workshops, both on and offline. For more information and to book a place, email us at: info@makingtheatre.co.uk
Teatro Lambe Lambe – Thinking Inside the Box!
Mon 31 May – 11am – 2:30pm – Free
Join award winning Brazilian puppeteer and maker, Fagner Gastaldon of PuppetSoup, and learn how to create and build a “Teatro Lambe Lambe” in this inspiring online puppetry workshop.
Led by PuppetSoup
Splodge Workshop
Tues 1 – 10am – 12:30pm @ Makerspace / 14 – 18 Year Olds
Wed 2 – 10am – 3pm @ Makerspace / 14 – 18 Year Olds
Take part in a puppet workshop run by experienced community workshop leaders to create a piece to be presented to the public. Numbers are limited, contact us to find out more.
Led by Splodge Designs
Puppet Talk: a zoom conference
Tues 1 June – 6pm – Free
Join us for an informal discussion of puppetry now. Discover the ways that companies and artists have made work during the exceptional circumstances of the last year. Puppeteers from across Europe will discuss their practice and projects.
A panel discussion chaired by Dr Matt Smith from the University of Portsmouth followed by a question and answer session in which you are invited to talk to professional puppeteers.
Presented by University of Portsmouth
There’s lots more going on during the festival: keep an eye out for fun walkabout acts in the town centre!
Supported by Bognor Town Council
