Pictured: Pinocchio, a new adaptation by Ben Oldfield, Cube.
Puppet theatre done well is enchanting. And now Lighthouse, Poole is staging a Puppet Festival, with some of the best companies around, over the Spring half-term. Naturally there’s a lot here for children but intriguingly there’s also some great performances for grown-ups. Loads of workshops too…
Highlights here include the fantastic Cornwall based Cube Theatre’s production of Pinocchio which mixes up beautiful wooden puppets, great acting and comedy. You can see a trailer here. Suggested age is 5-11 and their other brilliant production, Wooden Heart is for older children.
Universerama tells the story of the cosmos through puppetry, music and comedy – a creation of Craig Johnson, a performer with the renowned Kneehigh Theatre. And especially for the adults is The Table, the award winning show from Blind Summit Theatre that sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe last year.
The Lighthouse Puppet Festival runs from Feb 11 through to Feb 118th. This is truly exciting stuff and you’d be advised to book early.