E2: OBJECT, UNIVERSE & LIFE IN PERFORMANCE
Merlin Puppet Theatre
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SPACE SIX
Monday 8th - Tuesday 9th April 2019
10am - 5pm daily
Ages 18+ / adults
£120
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An approach to all three basic elements that contribute to making a complete visual universe - Object, Universe and Life. OBJECT - puppet, mask, shadows; UNIVERSE - scenography, light and sound; LIFE - how these elements become animate. An exploratory laboratory, which examines through analysis, practice and experimentations, how a harmonious puppetry performance is created. Through improvisations and research on stage individually and in groups, participants will work on how to develop and realise an idea, all the way from scratch to the final desirable result. See here for Merlin Puppet Theatre's show at the festival, "Noone's Land".
2021 Festival
& Tyne Rising
The 2021 festival was very different to the first two editions due to the complications and challenges presented by Covid-19 and Brexit. Covid-19 meant that the majority of our usual indoor programming could not go ahead and Brexit put a huge amount of red tape and costs on our ability to bring artists from mainland Europe to Newcastle. To counteract this, we decided to produce an online programme of events and our most ambitious project to date: Tyne Rising.
“I’m really excited to see what this talented production team create next.”
– Deb Snell, The Crack Magazine
Tyne Rising was a huge outdoor puppet show that took place in City Stadium, Newcastle across a weekend in August 2021, focusing on themes around environmental conservation. The ambitious show and three-week build in the Northern Stage workshop was a collaboration between 150 North East-based participants from the local community and a 20-strong team of creatives. Due to terrible weather conditions, we were forced to cancel two of the four performances across the weekend, but the sun came out for two high-energy, celebratory renditions of the show and all of the hard work was well worthwhile.
The River Tyne has overflowed its banks. Mysterious creatures and unknown forces are unleashed. The people of Tyneside must search their souls and work together to find out how to bring the world back into balance. Through giant puppets, costumed ensembles, live music and landscape spectacles, this live, one-weekend-only performance will be a memorable outdoor experience for extraordinary times.
Synopsis
“It has been more than a week since the performance and it is still lingering strong in my thoughts.”
– Tyne Rising participant
Tyne Rising credits
Produced by Moving Parts Arts
Director, Lead Designer and Maker: Andrew Kim of Thingumajig Theatre
Story: Andrew and Kathy Kim of Thingumajig Theatre
Composer: Hannabiell Sanders of Hannabiell & Midnight Blue
Squid / Flying Ships designed and made by Judith Hope - Puppet Maker
Assistant Director and maker: Andy Bates of Hazelsong Theatre
Making Assistant Placement Holders: Jo Feijó and Georgia Hill
Other puppet hires from the wonderful Handmade Parade, Thingumajig Theatre and Hazelsong Theatre
Special guest performers Bell and Bullock Street Theatre
A huge team of over 150 volunteers including members of Circus Central, The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company and Arcadia
Photos by Von Fox Promotions and Kraken Cinematic
Videography by Kraken Cinematic
Sound by Ingram AV
For the full credits please see the end of the Full Show Video.
Watch the full show
Tyne Rising Animation
Online Festival
The 2021 festival included a programme of online workshops, talks and streamed performances. We also ran an Education Project with Northern School of Art students to introduce puppetry into the curriculum; ran a Stop Motion Commission and Digital Puppetry Commission; produced an online version of the Moving Parts Scratch Space; ran an internship for a North East-based emerging producer; and streamed Tyne Rising online for audiences around the world.
Artists part of the wider online festival: Brian Hering, Harriett Bradbury, Iain McCall, Judith Hope Puppet Maker, Laura Mathews, Lesley-anne Rose, Life and Limb Puppets, Noisy Oyster, Odd Doll Puppetry.
