Designing, sculpting, acting and mime are just a few of the skills needed to be a puppeteer, but a good puppet workshop can stimulate even the most inexperienced students to produce the most unusual and exciting puppet shows and discover hidden talents.
We lead a variety of workshops of different lengths, for both children and adults, on all basic puppetry techniques and can tailor-make sessions to your requirements.
All workshops begin with a fun demonstration of the specific techniques involved.
Our most popular classes are:-
Impressive puppets can be created just out of card and cloth in a surprisingly short time with this simple Jacolly method. The puppet has easy dexterity because it uses the puppeteer's hand as its own.
75 minutes is just time to make a colourful character, learn a little about how to work it, and then show it off in a group performance. But, obviously, more can be achieved in longer sessions
In two days, puppets, props and scenery are created to make individual productions: a favourite with students and teachers wanting to learn to use puppets with children.
Combining conventional techniques with an overhead projector allows for an exciting play with scale. A 6" cardboard man, for example, can appear enormous when projected onto the shadow screen, especially when compared with live performers.
As well as silhouettes out of card, students create puppets, scenery and special effects in vibrant colour by painting acetates with felt nib pens and (for older children and adults only) French enamel varnish.
Three hours is the minimum time needed for a group to create a simple OHP shadow show.
Over one or two days students can enjoy playing with a greater variety of materials, methods of animation and special effects and produce a more polished performance.
Particularly designed for adults working with children. During the first week students explore using Hand, Rod and Glove puppets and each creates a puppet which it is hoped will serve later as a personal teaching aid. In week two the class use these puppets to devise a show which they then take on a short tour.
This fortnight gives invaluable experience of performing and the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills relevant to practitioners in education and therapy.
"Jacolly brought a lively, innovative approach to the students' training. The class got a real feel for the valueof puppet work with the children and also developed their own creativity and confidence"