Prepare for a puppet invasion!
Newcastle Puppetry Festival to return for a sixth edition
It’s the region’s most heart-warming festival with strings attached (but sometimes not). Yes, Newcastle Puppetry Festival is returning for its sixth edition over the Easter holidays.
Scheduled for April 19 to 27, it will begin on the opening day with free outdoor theatre performances on Northumberland Street and a spectacular 2pm parade.
You will hardly be able to miss the giant puppets mingling with shoppers, including a larger-than-life deer, a baby elephant called Delilah and what the organisers describe as a fantastical Jabberwocky with wandering accordionist.
A benign handheld dragon will also be available for selfies and strokes.
The parade – or to give it its full title, the Toon Underground community parade – will feature 150 local residents and artists, many of whom will have busy creating at parade workshops held at Great North Museum: Hancock.
The theme of this year’s parade is ‘underground’ – hence the title – and that incorporates, we are promised, burrowing creatures, mushrooms and fungi, and also the Metro network.
The annual festival has grown from quite small beginnings into one of the region’s annual highlights.
Founded and run by the charity Moving Parts Arts, it attracted 28,000 people last year and they weren’t all from the North East.
Real puppet fans travel and they’re now coming from overseas to what has become one of the largest events of its kind in the UK.
This year’s festival will feature a wide range of ticketed theatre and performance events, workshops and films at Northern Stage and Great North Museum: Hancock, and while much of it is aimed at children and families, there are also shows and workshops for teen and adult audiences.
Kerrin Tatman, artistic director and co-founder of Moving Parts Arts, said: “We’re thrilled to be back again for another week of all things puppetry in Newcastle.
“We’ve tried our best to include something for everyone this year, even on a reduced budget due to securing less funding than usual.
“Puppetry is not just for children and there are lots of adult shows and workshops on offer.
“I am most excited for Cantos Animata and Panta Rhei II, both UK premiere shows by t’Magisch Theatertje from the Netherlands.
“Both shows are for adults and teens and take place at Northern Stage on April 25 and 26.
“The performances are without words, instead using otherworldly imagery and original soundtracks to transport audiences into unique theatrical worlds.”
But who, also, could resist a show called A Million Tiny Ants (Northern Stage, April 27), a shadow puppet adventure by Matthew Robins from Cornwall?
Along with partner Great North Museum: Hancock, this year’s festival has been made possible and is funded by Arts Council England, Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, National Lottery Community Fund ‘Awards for All’, Nexus, The Barbour Foundation and Hadrian Trust.
You can find the full Newcastle Puppetry Festival programme on the Moving Parts Arts website along with ticket information and other puppet-related information.