Headstrung Puppet Cabaret
The debut event snowballed very quickly from an initial idea of a handful of events to a 7-day packed programme of puppetry for adults and children, spread across the city of Newcastle. The 2017 festival won The Journal Culture Award for ‘Best Newcomer’ in 2018.
“It is brilliant to see mask theatre and puppetry being taken seriously in the UK.”
– Masterclass participant, 2017 festival
2017 festival gallery
Take a look at the 2017 brochure
Artists
Aeyther, Blind Summit Theatre, Clockwork Moth, Creative Seed, Gavin Glover, Flabbergast Theatre, Handmade Puppet Dreams, Headstrung Puppets, Holy Moly & the Crackers, Jesse Ward Bubblologist, Lesley-anne Rose, Lori Hopkins, Martha Hill, Mirth & Misery, Monkey Puzzle, Nick Barnes, Paul Dewhurst, Scottish Mask & Puppet Theatre, Sokobauno Theatre, Stephen Mottram’s Animata, Steve Jarand, Theatre Témoin, Wondering Hands
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Funders
Made possible through funding from Arts Council England and Sunday for Sammy.
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Partners and Venues
Circus Central, Cobalt Studios, CRISIS Newcastle, Newcastle College, Northern Stage, Ouseburn Farm, Space Six​
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As well as a programme of shows, talks and workshops for adults and children, the debut festival ran an Education Project with Newcastle College students to introduce puppetry into the curriculum; a Community Project with CRISIS Newcastle to run stop motion and mask making workshops with service users; and three bursary places for North East emerging artists to attend puppet making and performance masterclasses.
Click for more on the 2017 artist film commission and watch videos
Click for more on 2017 Meet the Puppeteer series talks and watch videos
