Norwich Puppet Theatre
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The Norwich Puppet Theatre is a nationally unique venue dedicated to puppetry housed in the Medieval church of Saint James a Grade 1 listed building, in the city of Norwich, England.
It currently houses a 197 seat raked auditorium, 50 seat Octagon Studio, workshops, an exhibition gallery, shop and licensed bar. It is the only theatre in the Eastern region of the UK which has a year-round programme of family-centred entertainment.
The theatre plays host to a variety of touring companies from Britain and overseas, and provides training opportunities for professional puppet theatre practitioners.
In February 2008 the Arts Council of England announced that it will be ceasing its £60,000 a year contribution to the continued running of the theatre, effectively leaving its future in jeopardy. This has resulted in a petition, campaign and street protest backed by the local press to try and reverse the decision. Transitional funding is currently being negotiated with Arts Council of England, Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council to prevent closure of the puppet theatre.
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[edit] History
Norwich Puppet Theatre was founded in 1979 by Ray and Joan Da Silva as a permanent base for their touring company and was first opened as a public venue on December 1st 1980.
[edit] Company
The theatre is also the base for the Norwich Puppet Theatre Company which creates and presents its own productions as well as touring to schools and venues throughout the UK as well as international venues and festivals.
The company's work is informed by concepts and techniques from a range of cultures, and encourages the exchange of ideas by hosting companies and individuals of differing nationalities and by presenting its own work abroad. This has included performances in Canada, Finland, Spain, Mexico, and Slovenia.
[edit] Artistic Policy
The theatre aims to develop a public taste for the artform of puppet theatre rather than follow a fashion or present shows purely for commercial reasons, maintaining a dialogue with, and breaking down barriers between, different artforms particularly in relation to the combination of puppet theatre and live music. The theatre works with a wide range of techniques including rod, glove, shadow, objects, toys and masks, developing and exploring each technique individually and in combination with one another.
[edit] Artistic Directors
- Ray Da Silva 1979-1986
- Barry Smith 1986-1991
- Luis Z.Boy 1991-March 2008
[edit] Present Repertoire
- The Selfish Giant
- Pinocchio
- Jack & the Beanstalk
- Harlequin
- Snow White
- Thumbelina
- The Emperor's New Clothes
[edit] 25th Anniversary
In October 2005 the theatre celebrated its 25th anniversary, hosting a week long series of shows with international companies and performers from Spain, Catalonia, France, Portugal, Japan, Slovak Republic, India, Argentina, Russia and the UK.
The success of the 2005 festival has led to the beginnings of a biannual event - with the 2nd International Festival of Puppet Theatre taking place 19th-27th October 2007 - featuring companies from Catalonia, Portugal, Hungary, Slovenia, Argentina, UK, Cuba and Sweden.
