Lempen Puppet Theatre (of Skipton)

Where: Beverley Leisure Centre, 5:30pm Sat 17 July

Age: Age 5+

Tickets: £6

Duration: approximately 55 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Azar is the king of the monkeys – the newly appointed guardian of the Rainbow Tree, which is the source of all life in the Rainbow Forest. So what is he doing in the zoo cage of eccentric keeper Jack Greenwood? Through Azar’s visionary dreams and the crazy adventures of Jack the treasure seeking adventurer, we learn about where he has come from and where he is going.

Watch out – here comes the forest!

A story full of fantasy and adventure where facts, fun and wonderment have been neatly woven into an entertaining tale that shows us the amazing world of our Rainforests. A combination of delightful puppetry, original music and subtle lighting and sound effects.

Treasure Trove Puppet Company (of North Wales)

Where: Armstrong's Social Club, 2:30pm Sat 17 July

Age: Age 5+

Tickets: £6

Duration: approximately 50 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Long long ago in a land of lanterns and lotus blosoms in a blue pagoda beside a weeping willow tree there lived a mighty Mandarin . . . 

This exciting story tells of Koon se, the Mandarin's daughter, who has fallen in love with Chang, the Mandarin's servant. This will not do!!!. . . the Mandarin has his own ideas that his daughter should wed a wealthy Duke!

Koon and Chang plan an ascape, only to be captured and imprisoned. . . . looking down from on high is the Spirit of the South Wind that takes pity on the lonely, trpped lovers and transforms them into two immortal doves.

With beautiful scenery transforming from scene to scene Treasure Trove Puppet Company bring this classic story to life using glove puppets and imaginative staging based on the design of the Willow Pattern Plate.

Dynamic New Animation (of Preston)

Where: Beverley Leisure Centre, 10:30am Sat 17 July

Age: Age 3 - 6

Tickets: £6

Duration: approximately 45 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

It’s baking day and an inexperienced baker needs all the help he can get. In this delightful and imaginative mixture of puppetry, storytelling, music and food a baby chick hatches from an egg and grows up to become the star of the well-loved stories of Chicken Licken and The Little Red Hen, all played out on a kitchen table. Will she be able to outwit Foxy Loxy? Don’t count your chickens.....

Performed by Mark Whitaker with original music by Jon Owen.

Stephen Mottram (of Oxford)

Where: Armstrong's Social Club, 8pm Sat 17 July

Age: Age 16+

Tickets: £6

Duration: approximately 55 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Imagine a race of small creatures that look remarkably like humans, but are really more like insects or plants. They are THE SEED CARRIERS. Valuable and vulnerable, they are farmed for the seeds carried within them. They must develop their cunning to survive the ruthless social system in which they live. So with the aid of fabulous machines, they disgise themselves as birds, fish and insects. In conspiracy with Glyn Perrin’s music, these puppets draw their audience into a beautiful, colourful world which becomes horrific and then haunting as our understanding of it starts to dawn. 

The Seed Carriers has become a classic work of animation theatre, winning several international theatre awards during tours in 18 countries.

In the UK the performance is followed by a discussion/exhibition of the sculpture, which also takes place on the stage.

THE SEED CARRIERS is without dialogue and lasts for just under an hour. It is strongly atmospheric and not suitable for young children.

Music by Glyn Perrin

“Mottram’s art is formidable, like his imagination. I have never before seen the eeriness of marionettes combined so insistently with dread”  The Times

“It was some relief  to turn, at the ICA the following day, to the exquisite decorum of Stephen Mottram’s Animata…. It’s hard to know why we can be so affected by marionettes,but this dispassionate parable pricks ducts you didn’t even know you had.”  The Independent on Sunday

“Brilliant…. Definitely not to be missed”  The Guardian

“It’s not just Mottram’s exquisite craft but his potent vision which merits our attention.”  The Glasgow Herald

Cornelius & Jones (of Milton Keynes) 

Where: Armstrong's Social Club, 11:30am Sat 17 July

Age: Age 5 - 11

Tickets: £6

Duration: approximately 60 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Adapted from the classic Italian story by Collodi, the show follows the adventure of that likeable rascal Pinocchio. "Only good sons have a chance of becoming real boys" warns the cricket. But try as he might, Pinocchio the puppet cannot stay out of trouble. The play captures the magic of the original story and is performed with hand-carved puppets and original music and songs.
Original music and songs by Andrew Dodge

www.corneliusjones.com

"Neil Canham is an outstanding storyteller who had the audience, of all ages, eating out of his hand. His pace is perfect and the asides to the audience wondeful for the youngsters. The designer and director, Sue Leech deserves great credit for this clever production. A well thought out set becomes in an instant Geppetto's workshop, the wild wood, Toyland or even the inside of a shark. The show is ideal for a youngsters first visit to the theatre, and great fun for all of us who are a little bit older." 
Oxford Times

"Delighted to see such a wholesome and creative show for my two children( ages 7 and 9) and myself. First rate!" Parent  

Objects Dart (of Englands Inland Waterways)

Where: Beverley Friary, 12:30pm Sun 18 July

Age: Age 2+

Tickets: £6

Duration: 45 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Stories old and stories new, Stories on a Shoestring comes to you! Stories on a Shoestring is a different kind of puppet show where everything is made during the performance, creating a world of everyday  magic...about  friendship and sharing - and a little puppet called Peg Legs who only has one leg.

Where can he find some pegs to make another leg? Maybe on the washing line?

This show is inspired by stories like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “The Three Little Pigs” from England, “The Cat Sits Spinning in the Oven” from Canada and “The Fisherman and his Wife” from Germany. Little Peg Legs meets a Giant, builds houses that are blown down by wolves and even has his wishes granted by a fish!

...a delightful combination of object puppetry, shadows, music and storytelling.

Sea Legs Puppet Theatre (of Hereford)

Where: Beverley Friary, 12 noon and 4pm Sat 17 July

Age: Age 3+

Tickets: £6

Duration: 45 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

Float downstream with the Story Man, in Sea Legs Puppet Theatre’s gentle, new musical adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale of belonging and identity.
 
Meet a host of colourful characters, as they run the troubled duckling out of the farmyard into a cold, lonely world. So begins the hapless creature’s epic journey through the seasons. But never worry! For in a grand musical finale to melt even the coldest of hearts, a happy ending patiently awaits our humble hero.
 
Set on the banks of a magical river, captivating storytelling, fantastic puppets and a delightful new musical score, make this a must see show for little ones and their families.
 

Hand to Mouth Theatre (of Southampton)

Where: Beverley Leisure Centre, 1:30pm Sat 17 July

Age: 3 - 8

Tickets: £6

Duration: Approximately 45 minutes

Multimap: to be confirmed

An original adaptation of the well-loved tale.

Martin Bridle and Su Eaton have woven extra drama and humour into the well-loved tale of Goldilocks, stitching together traditional glove puppetry and live music to create a patchwork of delights which is ...

" … just right!"

Hand to Mouth Theatre consists of Martin Bridle and Su Eaton, who have been creating and performing high quality puppet theatre since 1979. They have entertained audiences at theatres and festivals in the UK,
Europe, Russia, The USA, Canada, and South Korea.