Summer Puppet Show A traditional marionette performance, based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. A beautiful & lyrical production with Chinese flute music by Yue Guo. A nightingale sings and charms the Emperor, until a mechanical bird takes its place. When the mechanical bird explodes, the real nightingale returns to sing on its own...
Jack and the Beanstalk by Clive Chandler Performances at 11am and 2:30pmA traditional tale with original twists! When the family's good fortune is stolen away and a grey cloud hangs over their lives, it falls to Jack to bring the sunshine back. This is not the tale of a boy who is lazy and good...
Professor Clive Chandler's - World Famous - Punch and Judy All the silliness that is to be expected in the hands of an expert who has delighted audiences across the UK and Europe for more than 30 years. The age age-old drama is presented here with particular wit and wisdom, much mirth and mayhem, and...
Shows at 11am & 2:30pm About SeedHeart, from Indigo Moon Theatre Meet Grey. Our journey begins as Grey finds themself trapped inside a jar. They try to remember how they got there and how they could be free… SeedHeart tells the important tale of human impact on the environment and questions what we can do to restore...
"Riddles, Tunes & Tales from The Tale Coat" A unique collection of tales to treasure – from the nation’s first Laureate for Storytelling, Taffy Thomas, MBE.Storytelling sessions at 11am & 3pm"The master storyteller from Grasmere, travelled the length and breadth of the country. People would come from miles around to hear him tell his tales....
A Magical Winter Fairy Tale - A Perfect Outing for Christmas An original Upfront Puppet Theatre production, involving different puppet types, special scenic effects, projected moving images and a revolving stage. Musical score based on Russian folk music. Gerda sets off on a magical journey to rescue her lost friend Kai from the clutches of...
Hand Shadow Artist - Drew Colby Suitable for Adult & 12 years+ What is this magic of light and dark that so transfixes young and old? It is the ancient art of Hand Shadows (or Shadowgraphy) - the art of creating and animating shadow images using little more than the performer's hands. In Drew Colby's...
Hand Shadow Artist - Drew Colby Based in London, Drew is founder of the Finger and Thumb Theatre, specialising in hand shadow puppets and ‘instant puppetry’. Described as ‘a man who can create almost anything with his hand shadows’, he has performed all over the world. The new company name is "Shadowgraphy", which covers the...
From 23rd July to 3rd September (every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
We will hold you spellbound as we tell you a tale based on one of the 101 Arabian Night Stories, told by Scheherezade to her husband, the Sultan. Meet the Genie of the Lamp, watch Aladdin fly his magic carpet and see if Aladdin finally wins the hand of the Princess. Fully staged with lighting,...
Upfront Puppet Theatre's Christmas Production A full circus in miniature. This is an amazing experience not to be missed, suitable for all ages. This unique collection of trick circus marionettes was saved for the nation by a Heritage Lottery Grant. It is one of the largest and most complete puppet circus’s in Europe. A fully...
October 26 @ 2:00 pm - October 30th @ 2:00 pm The Three Billy Pigs production by Noisy Oyster is for children 3 years and over. It blends two classic fairy tales – The Three Little Pigs and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Noisy Oyster use beautifully crafted puppets, light hearted story telling, live music and a little bit of...
Upfront Puppet Theatre will finally be performing once again. July 21st – August 30th. Shows are at 2pm but please check performance days below. All shows will be socially distanced and we will seat you in your booking group “bubbles”. We ask that you enter through the big theatre doors at the back of the...
We're back.... Oh yes, WE ARE !!! Live puppet theatre performances return with a 3 day celebration of puppet fun. A unique double bill of shows each day - suitable for all the family. Tickets: £10 each £35 (family of four) per morning or afternoon session. Online booking link at the bottom. Please be aware...
The Upfront Puppet Theatre Christmas production is "Puss in Boots". The show is based on the original French fairy tale. The father of the family dies and the oldest son inherits the flour mill; the second a donkey and the youngest son, Marco, inherits a cat! BUT this is no ordinary cat. Puss has magical...
A full circus in miniature. This is an amazing experience not to be missed, suitable for all ages. This unique collection of trick circus marionettes was saved for the nation by a Heritage Lottery Grant. It is one of the largest and most complete puppet circus’s in Europe. You will see clowns, jugglers, acrobats, tight-rope...
The Three Billy Pigs production by Noisy Oyster is for children 3 years and over. It blends two classic fairy tales – The Three Little Pigs and The Three Billy goats Gruff. Noisy Oyster use beautifully crafted puppets, light hearted story telling, live music and a little bit of eco-awareness in a pig style. Event...
We will hold you spellbound as we tell you a tale based on one of the 1001 Arabian Nights stories, told by Scheherezade to her husband, the Sultan. Meet the Genie of the lamp, watch Aladdin fly his magic carpet and see if Aladdin finally wins the hand of the Princess. Fully staged with lighting,...
A traditional marionette performance, based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. A beautiful & lyrical production with Chinese flute music by Yue Guo. A nightingale sings and charms the Emperor, until a mechanical bird takes its place. When the mechanical bird explodes, the real nightingale returns to sing on its own terms. It is...
Based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. A stunning and original production, using a mixture of puppet types and special scenic effects which includes projected moving images and a revolving stage. Musical score based on Russian folk music. This adventure takes us on the river, to a magic garden with talking flowers, to a...
This production is based on a version of the story by Michael Morpurgo. The book illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark, were the inspiration for the scenery and costumes. Northumbrian musicians "Landermason", have composed the beautiful musical score. This version of the classic fairy tale about the mysterious piper who visits Hamelin town and leaves with...
In our Cinderella, Bert the mouse is turned magically into a unicorn to pull the pumpkin coach and take Cinders to the ball. The ugly sisters were played by both marionette and rod puppets worked from our puppeteers pit. Cinderella Gallery
A spectacular performance, involving a mixture of 40 rod and string puppets. Based on the Grimm's fairy tale, performed on a revolving stage, set in medieval times with traditional period music. This show appeals to all ages, both children and adults. Will evil be conquered by good? Can anything be done to undo a spell...
Our first show, staged in our original building and still loved today for its sliding wagon scenery, magic flashes bangs and accordion music based on traditional folk music. Our first show, staged in our original building and still loved today for its sliding wagon scenery, magic flashes bangs and accordion music based on traditional folk...
This production was made for our new and larger theatre using a combination of long stringed marionettes, from our two mobile bridges, as well as rod puppets worked from our puppeteers pit beneath the floor of the stage. Pinocchio Gallery
