This award from The Radcliffe Trust has enabled The Little Angel Theatre to offer a traineeship in Puppetry. They received 181 applications for one place, showing the demand is there for opportunities like this and shows that many emerging young makers are struggling to break into this industry. This makes The Little Angel Theatre even more determined to continue offering Puppetry Traineeships moving forward.
Photo Credit -Alex Harvey-Brown, performer- Elliot Liburd
The photo above, shows the main puppet in a Little Angel Theatre show, a snare drum called ‘Kit’ which Ash (the Radcliffe Trainee) made with support from Oliver Hymans. The production was called The Instrumentals – A Little Angel Theatre, Blouse and Skirt Theatre Company, Goblin Theatre and Mercury Theatre co-production.
Ash has been very busy since joining in December. Completing three training courses so far including a week intensive course on ‘Table Top Puppet Making’ with Peter O’Rourke, ‘Krankie’ workshops with Bronia Evers and ‘Writing for Puppetry’ course with Rachel Warr. Ash also receives mentoring support from in-house designer Ellie Mills in which they’ve selected specific skills which Ash wants to work on and had focus time on that skill. They are currently focusing on working with plastazote. Ash is also making four wicker dragon heads for an upcoming Hollywood film!
There has been a lot of variety so far in the training and Ash has had multiple opportunities to expand the practice of Puppet making as well as the work skills of managing time, considering budgets and working to tight deadlines. The Little Angel Theatre is delighted to be able to offer Ash this opportunity and to ensure they have a bright future as a puppet maker, diversifying the industry and preserving this heritage craft.