One-day workshops focus on the basics of simple "table-top" puppetry. Participants learn the fundamentals of puppetry using brown paper figures and other simple puppets. They will then use what they learn throughout the day to build small scenes centering around a puppet or puppet/human interaction. Participants also learn about the rules of puppetry so that they can look at breaking those rules and how or why that might work. These sessions run from 2 to 8 hours and are a fun way to begin to look at this versatile and much sought-after craft.

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Previous clients include: Millennium Performing Arts, Q Management Agency, Millennium Performing Arts

Two-day courses follow the same structure but the longer time-frame allows participants to look in greater depth at how to create on-stage images based around puppets that elevate the puppet rather than obscure or ignore it. It also allows more time to create scenes and build a structure for a short piece of theatre (be it drama, comedy or something else) that has a justifiable reason for using puppet characters. With more advanced groups it also allows the opportunity to work with more sophisticated puppets.

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Previous clients include: Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Longer courses delve into much greater detail in regards different puppetry styles, object manipulation, the integration of puppets into a greater theatrical aesthetic and creating longer pieces of puppet theatre. Participants also have the opportunity to make their own puppets and adapt their skills with puppetry and object manipulation to break boundaries without fear of failure. These courses are great for groups or individuals who wish to move into puppetry as a part of their career, or for schools or drama schools who want to create a piece of theatre with puppets at its core.

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Previous clients include: National Theatre Learning, East 15 Drama School

This two-hour introduction to puppetry uses paper human figures in the style of Handspring Puppet Company to explore the fundamentals of puppetry through breath, focus, gravity and intent. With an emphasis on how puppetry can be used in devising theatre, the workshop ranges from listening warm-up games, creating short moments of comedy or drama together, through to learning the skill of the selfless puppeteer. The workshop will end with a look at how puppetry can be integrated into text-based work and a Q&A giving the students a chance to find out anything they want about working in professional theatre.

 

I have a BA (Hons) degree in Acting for Collaborative and Devised Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where I worked with members of Complicite, Frantic Assembly and Punchdrunk. I have over 10 years professional experience as a deviser, puppeteer and puppet maker including in War Horse in the West End.

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Previous school clients include: Dulwich College, St Mary's Cambridge, King's College School

I offer bespoke consultancy to groups or individuals who have a specific project in mind that requires a puppet. I am happy to work with you from the project's conception in order to help you find the right puppet builder, the right style of puppetry and put together a team of puppeteers or teach you the skills you need to ensure your project comes out exactly how you envisaged.

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Previous clients include: Graeme of Thrones, Greenpeace, National Film and Television School, London Film School