The full line-up has been revealed for the first Stone Puppet Festival in August – and some very famous faces will be there!
Lady Penelope and the original, classic Thunderbirds will feature in the event on 8th and 9th August, which will bring the cream of British puppetry to the town, with over 17 performers and four exhibitions.
There will be a puppet performance of family favourite The Gruffalo. The Crown Hotel will be hosting four outstanding puppet companies with a fantastic programme for families with shows like Treasure Trove’s newest production, A Victorian Cinderella – the Story of the Glass Slipper. The Rough Magic Puppet Company will present an excellent adaption – in this, their 150th anniversary year – of Alice in Wonderland.
Enticingly imaginative and hilarious Model or Toy Theatre, performances will also delight audiences presented by Peter and Sarah Peasgood, both master practitioners of this intimate and unusual form of miniature theatre which has its origins in the homes of wealthy Victorian families during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
All the outdoor performances are free of charge, as is entry to the exhibitions and there will also be an outdoor puppet making pavilion on both days in Market Square, where anyone can take part in mask or puppet making.
See the full line-up and get lots more information at www.stonepuppetfestival.co.uk
Puppet Festival organiser David Leech and project manager Richard Jones have devoted many hours since January, making all the necessary preparations for an activity packed and entertaining weekend that will see the Crown Hotel and Market Square turned into a kaleidoscope of colour, music and family entertainment.
David said: “Puppetry is an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages, whether as a maker, performer or audience. The local community in Stone have already embraced our ideas enthusiastically and we’ve received total support from the Town Council as well as local traders and our plans to involve the local schools and community groups in both design and performance is a key element of the overall programme of activities, which we hope will have a long lasting effect for Stone far beyond the life of the Festival.”
Performing at the festival will be talent across four generations. Eighty-three-year-old “puppet treasure” and Vice President of the Guild, Ted Beresford will perform next to 12 year old, new puppeteer talent, and youngest member of the Guild, Joseph Peek.
Invitations to participate in the puppetry activities and to take part in the Grand finale on the Sunday afternoon have also been sent to community groups involved with local people of all ages.
David added: “We hope that featuring and drawing on the wealth of experience of the British Puppet Theatre Guild members we will not only celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Guild but also educate and expose the local community to a festival has been designed to include many different kinds of puppetry, simple puppet making, story-telling and educational aspects of the art as well as featuring shows and exhibitions that will appeal to parents and grandparents too.”
The festival has received sponsorship funds from a number of local and national companies including Pallet Force, QDOS Entertainment and Alton Towers. David and Richard have also submitted an application for part funding of the festival to Arts Council England and expect their decision by the end of May.
They are about to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to specifically cover the costs involved in providing the local school and community workshops free of charge and facilitate free entrance to the exhibitions as well as the free outdoor entertainment and activities over the weekend.
For further details and updates visit the website www.stonepuppetfestival.co.uk or connect on Facebook.
Anyone wishing to offer even a small amount of funding or who would like to volunteer with the Puppet Festival can contact David by email: david@pelhampuppets.uk.com
