​The Extreme Puppetry Toolkit is everything you need to know to get started in puppetry. You will make a characterful puppet, learn techniques to bring it to life, and devise a small performance. You will get an introduction to Blind Summit’s “extreme puppetry” technique which is an improvisational, multi-puppeteer performance style that underpins all of their work. 

 

The workshop will involve:

 

2 days puppet making led by Russel Dean of Strangeface when you will

• Make a puppet for operating by three puppeteers

• Learn how to make simple joints that move in a realistic way

• Create a head full of character from newspaper and tape

• Play with costume and hair to give the puppet a performance “role”

 

3.5 days puppet improvising and devising led by Mark Down of Blind Summit Theatre when you will learn:

• How to bring your puppets to life

• How to work through three puppeteer improvisation

• How to interpret movement and make the puppet communicate with the audience

• Some basic principles of devising with puppets

• Dramaturgical principles of the puppet-puppeteer relationship

 

WHO ARE WE?

Blind Summit is one of the world’s leading puppet based theatre companies. Led by Artistic Director Mark Down, they have been making puppet based work at all scales, from a puppet on a table, to giant puppets in the Olympic Opening Ceremony in London, to last year’s sell out show The Sex Lives of Puppets. Their specialty is working with teams of puppeteers, using an improvisational technique to create highly realistic, characterful performances. They have trained a cohort of puppeteers who can be seen regularly performing puppetry on stages throughout the world. 

 

Strangeface is a mask and puppet company led by Artistic Director Russel Dean. They specialise in making and designing puppets and masks. Strangeface collaborated very successfully with Blind Summit to make the wonderful puppets for The Sex Lives of Puppets. 

 

WHEN?

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 March 2025

10-6 every day, 10-1 on Saturday

 

WHERE?

Central London. Location tbc

 

HOW TO APPLY

The workshop is open to everyone. 

Please send a letter of interest explaining a bit about yourself and why you want to attend. 

 

WHAT DOES IT COST?

£550 for the whole week payable in advance

£450 early bird discount if you book before end of February 2025

 

How to book?

If you would like to join us, please email charli@blindsummit.com with information about yourself and why you would like to take part. 

We will get back to you as soon as we can. 

 

Please keep in mind that the spaces are limited.

 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

 

Charli X