Specialist Training Sessions

For teachers and/or drama/expressive arts & teacher education courses
The following specialist training sessions, linked to drama / expressive arts and teacher education, are designed to support courses in schools, further and higher education and teachers’ resource centres. Training sessions in schools could combine a theatre show as a stimulus for the whole school on the same day to achieve maximum value for money.

Contemporary Shadow Theatre Techniques

Participants explore techniques of light and shadow to discover how a simple everyday object can transform into a scene from a science-fiction film, or how their own bodies might transform into a lumbering giant with a new head.

Experimenting with the use of different and multiple light sources, corridors of light, assorted colours and a 4 metre deep projection area with a huge screen, the potential of shadow theatre unfolds an exciting world that can inspire many new creative projects while also illustrating basic principles of shadow and light in a fun, visual and very memorable way.

References can also made to the traditional background of South East Asian puppetry and its social significance.

This workshop can be presented with reference to the following productions:
Aladdin &/or Alice and the White RabbitJungle BookMermarella – Cinderella of the Sea or through our company collection of shadow puppets from around the world, including examples from India, Indonesia, Cambodia & China.

Puppet Making prototypes and bringing them to life!

String, shadow, rod or glove? All of these can be achieved through simple prototypes, easily used in the classroom. But what is it that really makes them come alive? Find out in this training session, and learn how to link them to any curriculum area of your choice! This workshop invariably results in people who claim to be “not artistic” or “not creative” being the last to leave because they are so engrossed in making their puppets. Everyone leaves this workshop with up to four puppets they have made, a new perspective on the importance of puppetry as a very useful educational tool, and confidence to make more puppets on their own or with groups of children.

There are so many reasons to  use Puppetry in Education & Training

JUNGLE BOOK Jungle Book tells a surprisingly good story that harkens back to the poetry & spirit of Rudyard Kipling's original books. VIEW MERMARELLA From one of its earliest beginnings in ancient Egypt, a story best known across the globe as Cinderella shape-shifts its common threads into the world of the seas. View ALADDIN This colourful tale from the Arabian Nights is set in the Middle East VIEW THE LOST FOREST There’s magic and mayhem in the rainforest! VIEW ALICE AND THE WHITE RABBIT Join Alice on her magical adventure as she chases the White rabbit back in time on a fantastic spiralling journey into Wonderland. VIEW THE WORM THAT SQUIRMED A contemporary show for children or adults alike. VIEW SARASWATI Saraswati has delighted audiences in many places both in Britain and abroad since 1992. She dances in traditional Rajasthani folk style, as well as reacting to her audience in her own particular way. VIEW