Three years after its debut which was a “huge success”, Nottingham Puppet Festival is to return in summer 2021 with a “vibrant and fun” programme of puppetry.
The Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall, City Arts Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University are working together on the festival which will involve shows, screenings, workshops and walkabouts to entertain whole families.
David Longford, creative learning manager at the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall, said, “our first puppet festival in 2018 was a huge success and so we’ve been working hard to ensure that the festival becomes a new and regular event in the city’s calendar.
“While the 2021 festival has been scaled to reflect current conditions, TRCH will be working closely with artists all across the city to bring varied and much-needed fun and entertainment to Nottingham.”
On Saturday 26 June, Maid Marionette and a host of rebellious puppets will weave their way around the grounds of Nottingham Castle. The following day they will head to Sneinton market for a choice of family shows.
Nottingham-based Ditto Theatre will blast into space from outside Nottingham Playhouse on Saturday with Rocket Girl and elsewhere in the city, Norwich Puppet Theatre’s Pied Piper will dance into the Squire Performing Arts Centre.
The Broadway cinema will host an illustrated talk from leading marionettist Ronnie Le Drew, best known for his work with Zippy from the television series Rainbow.
The puppet festival will take place from Thursday 24 until Sunday 27 June.