Puppetry – Try Your Hand

Puppetry and mask are as ancient as storytelling, and have been used in most cultures as mediums for storytelling, allegory, and representing myths and gods. Puppets are also widely used for satirical and political and subversive purposes. As such, puppetry is certainly not just for children and Juliet Neill, puppeteer, would like to share the power of puppetry and mask with you.

The one-and-a-half-hour workshop brought to you by the Lyttelton Arts Festival will explain simple mask and hand puppet making. Juliet will bring along her collection which she has created and performed with over the years for people to learn to manipulate them, find characters and perform a simple show.

The shyest person can lose themselves in puppetry or mask, and become totally absorbed in the character as will be the audience. It can be mesmerising for both.

For those who discover their inner puppeteer, Juliet will be happy to offer further tutorship from her home studio and share all her resources.

About the Tutor, Juliet Neill
“I have performed with puppets at various times for many years, more recently as Thumbs Up Puppetry, both solo and in collaboration with others. I have also been a teacher of drama, English and creative writing. Now I spend time in my studio pottering with paints.

For a number of years I created, with community support, giant puppets for Lyttelton festivals, as well as running mask-making workshops and organising a masked parade. Angus Goodwin and Andrew Scott and I created the original Pirates of Corsair Bay event. I have created masked characters to protest the climate crisis.

Now, as the years advance, I am keen to hand on my knowledge, and even my equipment to someone, or even a group of people who feel the urge to develop their own performances, and this workshop offers just a taste of endless possibilities.

For between 5 and 20 participants, this workshop is largely for adults.

The Staffroom:
Lyttelton Primary School