Once upon an October, I decided to start writing a Blog for The Puppet Tree. And immediately hit the first questions… ‘Why’ and ‘How’.
Do I start chronologically and talk about the twenty years it has taken for The Puppet Tree to grow? Or offer some interesting facts about Puppetry like… ‘A puppet play that would have featured a version of Punch was first recorded in England in May 1662 by the diarist Samuel Pepys.’… (who may have been the most famous historical Blogger)?
Or try to explore the world of imagination and wonder inspired by Puppetry?
Yes…. Let’s start there.
‘Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination’ are some of the most memorable lyrics sung by the wonderful Gene Wilder in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And it’s often the first words said by visitors as they enter the Puppet Tree shop or theatre (that’s after “WOW!”).
Other comparisons are…“Wow! It’s just like ‘Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium’ or ‘Peter Pan’s Tree House’ or ‘Narnia’ or ‘Mr Olivander’s Wand Shop!’“. I hear those expressions with some sense of pride because I have worked hard to achieve a ‘step-back-in-time’ atmosphere here in the hope that it would inspire imagination and creativity by providing an environment of peace and ‘magic’.
Someone asked recently if I have a ‘card machine’ and as I pulled it out of its hiding place. I realised I was ashamed to sully the imagery with a technological device. However… (and there is always a ‘However’.) There is a ‘Ying to a Yang’. ‘Two sides to a coin’. How about the technology behind many of the world’s creative minds while bringing ‘The World of Pure Imagination’ to life on film, stage and screen? Names too numerous to mention…but Walt Disney and Frank Oz spring to mind among many.
And so… ‘Once Upon THIS October’ I began to introduce the aspect of technology to my previously ‘technology free’ or at least not visible environment.
Entries on The Puppet Tree’s website constantly allude to the deliberate avoidance of digital devices and a wish to offer a space free from ‘gadgets and gizmos of plenty’ and I fully intend to adhere to those values. However (and I am back to the ‘However’) I have recently made some connections with some delightful young people who are experts in the field of some exciting technology which I feel will enhance the opportunities offered here. This is going to be a work in progress. But the first job was to create a space for the new equipment.
We start with my crazy idea of connecting an existing shed to the back of the theatre (actually, the story goes further back than that). Before the pandemic, the theatre was filled with costumes, puppets and props, and the shop was an Aladdin’s cave of toys and puppets. Lockdown rules turned both into a ‘no touch’ zone. The theatre contents were packed away into a shed built behind the theatre. And the shop separated customers from the staff and each other. Dark days indeed. After a tentative reopening, we added Brexit, and the war-induced energy crisis to ‘the mix’ and The Puppet Tree (like thousands of small businesses throughout the country) was on dangerous ground. The expression ‘to diversify or die’ had never been more apt. And I diversified my socks off!
The retail ‘branch’ of The Puppet Tree had been severely lopped. I could not trade with Europe and lost half of my puppet range and almost all of the wooden toys. When added to the implosion of competition from the internet all seemed doomed. But there is always light behind the clouds… a ‘Sparkle’. And thanks to the Lottery Community Fund I was able to concentrate on the social aims of the business. A need for connection following years of distancing became an essential part of balancing damaged emotional well-being for the community. And the ‘Sparkle’ project was born, swiftly followed by Pips Magic Tree. (Please see the website for details of both projects and the ‘books wot I rote’.)
And now we are back to ‘The Shed’. Which had by now become a ‘squirrel hoard’ of ‘puppeting stuff. ’ How to free the contents which had been packed away for almost five years?! The theatre had now become a full workshop space with no room for the costumes and puppets…. And to add to the sleepless nights of worry the shed had been built swiftly and was so close to the back of the theatre that the walls of each were impossible to reach for maintenance work and the wooden planks had begun to deteriorate.
Options:
1. Move the shed back and treat the walls.
2. Destroy the shed and pack stuff into the attic.
3. Shift the shed by twelve inches to butt up against the wall of the theatre, cut out a connecting hole and create an extension to the theatre.
The first two options were more easily feasible. The last was ‘Where Madness Lies.’ …. So, I chose the latter. This necessitated the inevitable exploration of the ‘Who’, ‘When’ and ‘How’… But, to cut a long story even longer here is what happened.
We (mostly ‘I’) sorted out the contents of the shed and neighbouring summer house and garden shed… all three having suffered from my hoarding syndrome.
After several aborted attempts at contacting ‘The professionals’ re moving the shed I was rescued by my neighbour and maintenance guru Derek (who really should wear his underpants outside his trousers… superhero that he is…), and with help from two of our wonderful new volunteers Lou and Lursa, we moved the shed into position, using those long-forgotten techniques of ‘common sense’ and ‘hard graft’.
Much appreciated further volunteer support came from Faybia and Danny (picture below) (Founders of Rubber Ducky Snacks) who assisted with the tricky job of insulating and cladding the theatre. Danny returned to help with the building of the pigeonholes.
Once into position, it was time to ‘cut the ole’… and introduce Mark, (superhero number two). A ‘professional who didn’t need six months’ notice and who gave his time and expertise free of charge. In the blink of an eye and using some very scary tools he cut out the doorway.
And now we have a ‘secret’ entrance from the theatre to the new costume and puppet room, which ‘doubles up’ as an extension backstage for the Black theatre productions and leaves the Summer house clear for new equipment.
Works to the ‘sheds’ ran simultaneously with support from a wonderful charity called Ripple Acts. Ripple Acts support people who are unemployed and offer them an opportunity to learn new skills, gain confidence and develop friendships while providing much-needed support to community projects in and around Norwich.
The Ripple Act team (Lou, Lursa, and Piers), headed by project lead Andy, worked enthusiastically through the Autumn. The pathway to the theatre has received a major ‘facelift’ with a fence cleared of overgrown ivy and repainted. The path has been pressure washed and sheds painted. Inside the theatre, graduate artists Lou and Lursa offered their design ideas for a new puppet range and patiently sorted resources into our new forty-draw storage unit.
Lou and Lursa continue to offer volunteer support, particularly in the field of technology-based puppet work.
Lovely Stanley (pictured below), a young local tree surgeon spent a full day clearing decades worth of overgrowth from the theatre.
… and that is how ‘The Magic happens’… with hard work and welcome support.
Thanks to all of you.
And now more news from ‘The Tree’
While all this exciting work was progressing, there were other rustling of leaves in The Puppet Tree. The completion of Pips Magic Tree.
A book written to encourage creativity and literacy through a storybook containing pages to help readers create their very own puppet play.
Its story is based on the almost forgotten folklore of the Norfolk Hyter Sprites and introduces Pip, Petal and their fairy twins Pod and Poppy who used to live in their tree house home in the forest. But when their tree was going to be cut down, and when The Toy shop in Norfolk was going to close, the tree was ‘magicked’ into the shop. And now the fairies work with the Toy Shop Lady to help create a place of creativity and calm for everyone.
Pip has written a book all about their adventures called Pips Magic Tree. Beautifully illustrated by Children’s book illustrator Dotti Colvin.
It tells the story of how the family arrived and holds pages to help children create their very own puppets and puppet shows.
It is available to buy from The Puppet Tree and is an excellent preparation for workshops here… or as a ‘make at home’ support book.
It is unusual in that it is written twice! Halfway through the pages, there is a ‘turnaround point’. Turn the book upside down and back to front and it becomes ‘Petal’s Upsy Downsy Book’. The same story is written twice but this time for those who prefer fewer words and more pictures.
And now every month Pip and his family are going to tell you what they are doing to continue to bring magic to everyone who loves puppets.
Look out for more news in Once Upon a November.
Hope to see you in the Puppet Tree soon and remember. ‘The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it. … JM Barrie.