Newcastle under Lyme
The Hassell Primary School weekly after-school club met every Wednesday from the beginning of March and after just eight one-hour rehearsals over six weeks, they put on a wonderful show called “The Magic Rocking Horse.”
Typically, it takes 12 weeks to put a show together, but they have accomplished it in half the time. They have shown eagerness to learn and demonstrated excellent teamwork by supporting each other while acquiring new skills in operating string puppets or marionettes. Scroll down the page to see them in action.
The show was presented on a specially constructed, three-part stage to allow everyone to perform together for the finale.
Their performance was was adapted from the book “The Magic Rocking Horse” by local author Christine Johnson, published by Muddy Publishing.
Back stage, they follow along to the script ready to take to the stage with their puppet characters.
Some of the cast of 25 puppets, including a large marionette of Philip Astley’s circus-performing horse, “Gibraltar,” waiting in the wings to make their appearance.
Scene One: It takes great concentration and co-ordination bringing the puppets to life to interact with each other.
Gibraltar who made a magical, grand entrance in scene three, took centre stage with his rightful owner, Philip Astley for the Grand Finale.
After the performance, Christine Johnson and David Leech were joined by Andrew Van Buren, from the Philip Astley Centre who who animated the marionette of Philip Astley alongside the star of the show, Gibraltar.
The show can be seen again at “Mr Buzzking’s Puppet Things” event in Stone, Staffs at 2.30pm on Saturday 31st May.
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Puppet Activities during 2024
Last year (2024) we arranged for some puppet shows and puppet making workshops in the newly opened Philip Astley Centre.
On Saturday 23rd March we presented an Introduction to Puppetry with a performance by 10 year old Maggie Watson who presented her very own show, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ that she wrote and performed herself. The photos show Maggie performing her show and after the show with Andrew Van Buren.
The following month, on Saturday 13th April, we arranged for a puppet making workshop for children. They could make their own puppet to take home with them.
Then, the following week on Saturday 20th April we had another puppet-making workshop and a marionette performance as part of the day’s programme which celebrated “World Circus Day.”
