Puppetry and Performance - Intention and Emotion

This intensive weekend course led by puppeteer and tutor Caroline Partridge is designed for performers of all kinds who want to expand their understanding of performance and puppetry. Together, we’ll explore what we mean by intention—and how to convey emotion with honesty and depth through the puppet. Participants will learn the core principles of puppetry, focusing on energy and presence, and the notion of the puppeteer as a conduit rather than a manipulator. The course includes hands-on work with newspaper, objects, and puppets, as well as vocal exercises, communicating without words, listening, and trusting our impulses. By the end of the weekend, both performers and puppeteers will gain confidence working with puppets, as they deepen their performance practice, level of skill, and emotional connection to their work.

Caroline Partridge – For the last 24 years Caroline has worked as a stage and screen actress, puppeteer, devisor, improviser, storyteller and maker for several large and small scale companies including: Improbable, The English National Opera, The Metropolitan Opera House, The LA Opera – (on the seminal Philip Glass work ‘Satyagraha’ which she has been a part of for over 15 years), ‘Babel’ and The Enchanted Palace’ for Wildworks, ‘One Snowy Night’ for Slot Machine, ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ for the Little Angel Theatre, The National Theatre Studio, Soho Theatre, The Royal Court New Writers Programme, Battersea Arts Centre, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, M Shed and the Bristol Old Vic, Artsdepot, The Red Room, Menagerie Theatre, The Desperate Men and Clerkin Works.

Her television work includes series regular in the CBeebies BAFTA award winning series ‘Gigglebiz’, Polly Granger in the Amazon series ‘Pan Tau’, and most recently Barbara Stubbs in series 4 of CBBC’s ‘Jamie Johnson FC’. She can currently be seen on the big screen in the new Searchlight Pictures comedy ‘The Roses’, alongside Olivia Coleman, and will be reprising her role as Aunty Drosselmeyer in Little Bulb’s Olivier nominated ‘Nutcracker’ in the West End over Christmas.

In 2021 Caroline was the recipient of Arts Council funding which enabled her to expand her practice as a solo artist, and develop a podcast series ‘The Perception Podcast’ which ran for two years.

Caroline has been teaching puppetry on and off for over 21 years and has developed her own unique methodology embracing the exploration of energy in both technique and performance.

Please note that that when you book a place, only the start date and time is shown on the booking system, but your ‘ticket’ covers the full event as detailed above.