LAT aims to be the centre of professional puppetry training in the UK, playing a vital role in supporting the rare art form of puppetry.  We have recently completed a series of masterclasses, focusing on professional carving and manipulation skills and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.  As part of this work we also provided two 6 month apprenticeships.

Please watch this space or sign up to our mailing list for updates on training courses.

Also, Little Angel Theatre and the BA Theatre Practice (Puppetry) at the Central School of Speech and Drama provide Research and Development space and support for new work from developing or experienced practitioners through our INCUBATE programme. Invited artists can explore the parameters and possibilities of new work without the pressure of a final performance, and use facilities, resources and expertise offered by both places. Artists will be invited to spend a week at LAT during the summer and a further week at CSSD during the academic year exploring and playing. If you are interested in being a part of INCUBATE please email an A4 proposal to both peter@littleangeltheatre.com and c.astles@cssd.ac.uk, or email for more information.

For more information about CSSD training see:

www.cssd.ac.uk/undergrad.php/16/puppetry.html
www.cssd.ac.uk/postgrad.php/22/puppetry_and_object_theatre.html

Please note that if you are interested in puppetry courses just or fun, we run various adult evening classes.

Lesson in Ventriloquism with Nina Conti

Monday 15 February, 7-9pm
£10 (max 10 participants)

Britain's leading female ventriloquist Nina Conti and her monkey are keen to teach the secrets of the resurgent art form.  A certain amount of puppets will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own to this unique workshop.  Nina learnt the art of belly speaking from the late great Ken Campbell, who believed puppets could provide direct access to the spontaneous uncensored mind. Whether you are shy, exhibitionist or downright bewildered this promises to be a fun and informative session. 

Glove Puppetry Mastercalss with Ronnie Le Drew
Sat 6 & Sun 7 March, 2-5pm (2 afternoons)
£45
The course will explore the potential movement of a glove puppet and improve the participants understanding of its character using voice and props.  Participants must attend both afternoons.

Ronnie has been performing with puppets since his childhood, and became professionally engaged in the work in the early 1960's when he joined the Little Angel Theatre company under its founder director John Wright.

He has performed in most of the theatre's productions over the last 40 years.  Film and Television roles includes Zippy from Rainbow, Sooty and Sweep, Muffin the Mule, Meerkat, Brains from Thunderbirds, and Jim Henson's Labyrinth and Muppet Movies.  Recently he directed Cindermouse which played at Little Angel and at Norwich Puppet Theatre. He has just finished performing in Petrushka and also Splish Splash!  www.ronnieledrew.com

Table-top Puppet Construction Course with Peter O’Rourke
Mon 8 March – Fri 12 March, 10am-6pm (5 days)
£250 (max 7 participants)
Concentrating on the technical aspects of making table-top puppets, the emphasis will be on principles of construction to enable the maker to build good movement into puppets through an analysis and understanding of pivot points and jointing.  Students will work from a prototype specifically devised to demonstrate ways of designing good movement, taking into account the needs of the performer.  This detailed and in-depth course focuses on mechanics rather than aesthetics; the shapes used will be simple and the materials and approach means that each student should be able to take away their own prototype at the end of the course.   Peter O’Rourke regularly works with Little Angel and is one of the UK’s best designer/makers.

Carving workshop with John RobertsMon 22 March – Fri 26 March, 10am-6pm (5 days)
£250 (max 6 participants)
John Roberts is one of the most experienced course leaders in Europe having run carving courses since 1980 in the UK and internationally. The workshop will cover design of a marionette, working with wood and tools, and a unique combination of Chinese and European construction techniques with the aim of producing a fully functioning puppet to take away with you at the end of the week.