And now we find ourselves again at ‘The Tuesday of the year’… too far away from Christmas (or the weekend) but also not near enough to Spring (or Friday). We can’t remember the twinkles (or the weekend) … or feel the warmth and promise of sunshine and fun.
So, it’s still time to snuggle under the duvet.
My last Blog suggested a heart-warming film to lift spirits, but this time my ‘tenuous link’ relates to a wonderful book by Fredrik Backman.
It’s called ‘my grandmother sends her regards and apologises’.
It’s a story told through the eyes of ‘almost eight’ year old Elsa as she struggles to cope with the loss of her grandmother. Both share a ‘superpower’… an ability to see life as others don’t. They have a secret language and can escape in their minds to a fairy tale kingdom of imagination.
And there is the link – not directly to puppets, but to the world of stories.
Elsa’s imagination takes her to ‘The Telling Mountain in ‘The-Land-of Almost- Awake’ where the ‘enphants’ release their tales to the real world.
And if the tales can’t leave, then the ‘Kingdom of Miamas will suffocate, for no stories can live without children to listen to them.
This is not a book for children, but maybe for those of us who are still able to be a ‘child at heart’. That is a superpower, but one which is being challenged by the changing world we live in. One in which the comfort of creativity is ever more needed. And Fredrik Backman’s book holds the treasure of comfort on every page for those who ‘still believe’.
Meanwhile here at The Puppet Tree the stories thrive through puppetry and imagination.
We have reached the end of the Sparkle funding generously provided by the Lottery Community Fund.
Here are some of the stories and pictures from a year of puppet play.
Thank you to the Lottery Fund for helping the ‘enphants’ to release their stories.
And preparations are well underway for our advanced puppet-making opportunities funded by Love Norfolk.
We have some new team members from the world of puppetry ready to inspire creative minds through facilitator-led workshops. We will announce details very soon.
This would not be possible without funded support. Thank you the Norfolk Community Fund for their welcome support.
I also have a big thank you to The Arts Council, who have provided funding through their Develop Your Creative Practice Grant to enable me to train with award-winning Fagner Gastoldon of Puppet Soup.
My first visits to London were filled with puppets, puppets and more puppets and the creation of my first ‘rod puppet’…Bailey the dog.
The next visit included a trip to The Puppet Barge in Little Venice
I was invited backstage to visit Stan Middleton whose grandparents created the barge in 1982. The performance of The Flight of Bubushka the baboon was spellbinding.
You need to visit it to appreciate the ambience of the theatre and the skills of the team of puppeteers…. And the strange feeling of movement as the barge is rocked by the wake of a passing boat.
Fagner has brought the tradition of Teatro Lambe Lambe theatre from Brazil to England.
Here is my first puppet made under his direction.
My aim is to create a Teatro Lambe Lambe theatre for use in our own ‘Imaginarium’.
And now back to business. Spring is around the corner with the opening of the caravan parks, and a slow return of tourists while they enjoy the peace and calm of North Norfolk.
Preparations have been under way including the creation of our new make-your-own ‘Woodimal’ area in the tree house. And further development of play space, including the ‘Stuff and fluff’ stage.
Our new ‘Fox’ Box offices allow tickets to be purchased for the Theatre, Story time, Woodimals and Stuff and fluff.
And Paddington the bear introduces us to the fun via our new window display as he shares a marmalade sandwich with his Aunt Lucy in the Peruvian jungle.
We hope to see you soon.