Behind the Magic: Puppetry Commissions at Little Angel Theatre
By Oliver Hymans
For nearly 65 years, Little Angel Theatre has been a home for world-class puppetry — a place where imagination and handcrafted artistry meet. In that time, our makers, directors, and performers have pushed the boundaries of what puppets can do and how audiences can connect with them. One of the most exciting developments in recent years has been the growth of our Puppetry Commissioning Service: a dedicated strand of our work where we design and build bespoke puppets, props, sets, miniatures and production elements for clients across theatre, film, visual arts and live events.
As Associate Director, it has been a joy to help shape and expand this side of our practice. What began as a natural extension of our in-house creative expertise has quickly become a thriving service, fuelled by the talent and curiosity of our community of puppet makers and supported by generations of Little Angel knowledge. We are lucky to collaborate with a wide pool of exceptional freelance artists, each specialising in different forms of puppetry and materials — from delicate shadow work and traditional marionettes to large-scale, multi-operator creatures. That level of breadth and experience means there is very little we haven’t carved, sewn, engineered, rigged, or repaired over the decades.
Over the past year alone, we’ve had the pleasure of working on some truly thrilling commissions. We’ve developed set designs for high-profile children’s authors, created a range of life-sized animal puppets for a BAFTA-winning filmmaker, and built everything from wise old owls to glowing reindeer that literally lit up the Rose Theatre Kingston last Christmas! One personal favourite has to be our Big Bad Wolf, reimagined as an Elvis-esque showman — swagger, quiff, sparkle and all. And the pipeline remains just as exciting: we’ve most recently designed a puppet for Coven, a new musical opening this autumn at the Kiln Theatre, and producing scale models for an upcoming film shoot. It’s a wonderfully imaginative mix, and every commission stretches us in new creative directions.
A question we are often asked is: how does commissioning a puppet actually work? While every project is unique, the journey usually begins with an idea — sometimes fully formed, sometimes just a spark. We can work from existing illustrations, or dream up something entirely new. Before we can quote or begin building, there are a few practical details we always need to understand. Puppetry is a very specific form of craft, and the technical needs shape everything: how many puppeteers are required? What does the puppet need to be able to do physically? Will it be used on stage or screen? Does it need to withstand the rigours of a long touring run, or is it designed for a shorter life? And, of course, what aesthetic world does it belong to? These decisions help determine mechanics, durability, materials and budget — the invisible architecture beneath the magic.
Once we’ve explored those questions, we move into the design stage, developing visual concepts that help bring the idea to life. This might involve sketches, computer renderings, or sometimes a small prototype. One thing we always emphasise is transparency: we make sure clients understand what a puppet can do — and, just as importantly, what it can’t do. We are not magicians, though at times we like to think we get quite close.
From there, the build begins. Each puppet is crafted in-house by one of our brilliant freelance makers, and throughout the process we keep the client connected to its evolution through regular images, videos, and discussions around fabrics, finishes, and fine details. Puppets are, quite literally, characters — they take time, collaboration, and care to form. When the build is complete, we deliver the puppet ready for rehearsals, and we expect a small period of “settling in.” Sometimes joints need adjusting once a performer begins manipulating them, and we happily include this snagging stage to ensure everything moves and behaves just as it should. We also take time to ensure stage management teams or handlers are confident in caring for the puppet going forward, because long-term love and maintenance are just as important as the initial build.
We are enormously proud of what we can offer: a blend of history, innovation, artistry, and a network of specialist makers who are passionate about the craft. Whether you’re working on theatre, film, TV, exhibitions, education, community arts, advertising, or something wonderfully unexpected, we believe puppets can tell stories in ways nothing else quite can — tactile, expressive, magical, and deeply human.
If you’re dreaming up a character, creature, world or moment and think puppetry might be part of it, we’d love to hear from you. Whatever the scale — a hand puppet for a classroom or a towering beast for a feature film — we are here to help bring imagination into reality.
To begin a conversation, simply get in touch. Together, we can create something extraordinary.