I spend a week exploring ideas for a new childrens piece with Rachel Warr, Lucy Drever and Cathleen Cheshire supported by Puppet Centre Trust and artsdepot

All being well and getting granted the rights to make the adaptation I should be able to tell you more about it, but not for a while yet - Keep your eyes peeled for autumn 2014!  

In the mean time how about something completely different in the form of a beautifully carved dogs nose by Lyndie Wright.  
(p.s it's nothing to do with the show so you can stop trying to guess - all in good time)

I'm back hunting bears at the Little Angel.  So far I seem to have found these little blue children but not a bear - I have a sneaking suspicion that he will have shown up by the 11th May when the show opens though.

Lyndie asked me to carve a copy of one of her heads for the twins in styrofoam.  Mines the one on the left - getting there. I had a really good moment when I showed Lyndie the heads she didn't know which one was mine. 

I've also been making some bits of bodies, hands, 2nd costumes. 
Below is a little sneak peak at some of the finished puppets - no the bear didn't get the top one...he's got a special job. All in the magic of theatre.

"Brilliantly designed and directed, this production is a remarkable achievement for Dotted Line Theatre. Based on a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Engineer's Thumb’ is an original and captivating adaptation that combines inventive dramaturgical devices with varied puppetry techniques. The piece echoes German Expressionist aesthetics with asymmetrical scenery and prop design, and the careful use of sound, light and shadow, which together create continuous and simultaneous meta-narratives that enrich and enhance the story".

See more at: http://www.puppetcentre.org.uk/animations-online/reviews/engineers-thumb-dotted-line-theatre/#sthash.xlxb276b.dpuf

On the 20th and 21st of March you can catch Dotted Line's 
The Engineer's Thumb at The Little Angel Theatre as part of their brand new Firsts Festival - 

The Engineer's Thumb is inspired by a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Using rod and shadow puppetry, light and object manipulation, we encounter experiments in hydraulics, memories coming to life and a terrifying coach ride along a dark country lane.


Tickets
020 7226 1787
www.littleangelfirsts.com
Little Angel, 14 Dagmar Passage,
London N1 2DN

I'm working on something in it's very early stages of R&D at the moment - 

Just 2 days so far but so much about the feel of the show was discovered.  I really hope it happens because I would want to see that show!  Anyway if it goes ahead then you will be seeing more i'm sure - finders crossed for some exciting puppetry in summer 2014 with some much loved old favourites.

I'm performing on the 22nd and 28th November ... That's tomorrow! 

Hat Factor, Luton and Jackson's Lane, London.

Genius Sweatshop is a company I founded in 2009.  This is likely to be the last time we do The Man Who Wasn't There so hope to catch you there. Thank you Ludo, Will and Teele for all your hard work.

And the other short stories...we'll that would be a work in progress from me, with my glamorous assistant Rachel Warr (of Dotted line theatre and the 2012 associate artist at the Little Angel).  We'll be using the 2 marionettes I've made this autumn. We've had 4 days to rehearse so let me know what you think.

WWW.GENIUSSWEATSHOP.COM

This autumn I've been working with Directors Rachel Warr and Lucy Drever to create a work-in-progress performance of Judith Weir's King Harold's Saga.  

The idea was to be set inside a weaving studio and use object manipulation, with a cast of 7 puppeteers and opera singers collaborating to create the performance.  

It took place at the Barbican on the 9th and 10th November 2012.

The Puppet Centre Trust's Puppetry and Opera symposium. 
You can see snippets of the work in the video.

Charly needed a friend so I carved this lady.  

Left are my designs and below she's in all her glory just waiting for a costume.  

She's a marionette but as she has long skirts there was no need for legs.  She's a floater - with a rather large bum to keep her grounded. 

I've been carving a marionette.  
I've named him Charly.

Everything starts with a drawing so he's kept in proportion.  This forms a pattern for the wood.  
After it's cut out you get carving.  I'm a big fan of carving.  it's a fascinating process from block to puppet.  This guy took about 10 days - but not all at once - lots of thinking and guidance time in there too.

I have just taken part in the Opera and Puppetry Symposium organised by the Puppet Centre Trust and Trinity Laban at the Barbican.

I designed for a new work in progress showing of King Harald's Saga by Judith Weir co-directed by Rachel Warr (puppetry) and Lucy Drever (opera) with 7 performer mixing puppetry and opera.

The show was object manipulation using the idea of a weaving workshop to explore the themes of war in 1066.  The original is an unaccompanied soprano solo playing 8 parts in 3 acts lasting approximately 10 minutes.