May 2nd, 2020
2019
September 3rd, 2018
Crafts Council UK
See Crafts Council’s post here:
Our Maker of the Week is Woodcarver, Automata & Puppet Maker, Jan Zalud.
http://bit.ly/2NDcVFE #craftscouncilmaker #ccdirectory
August 10th, 2018
2018
January 28th, 2018
2016/17
2017
‘Wind’ from ‘Go Noah Go’ – remake of Simon Auton’s character plus restoration of other puppets and animals from Little Angel Theatre’s 2017 production of ‘Go Noah Go’
see the ‘Go Noah Go‘ trailer here:https://youtu.be/36eOyxuJcqs
‘The Director’ – coin operated box at Leeds Craft Centre and Design Gallery that needed a little care and restoration.
‘Tin Drum’ – Jesus and beetles carved by Jan Zalud from Lyndie Wright’s designs for Kneehigh Theatre’s production.
‘Dudley’ – a ventriloquist puppet based on Mary Turner’s design, commissioned and supported by Ben Steiner.
2016
‘Red Cat’ – a rod marrionette made for Ruthin Crafts Centre’s exhibition ‘a Clowder of Cats’.
‘Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales’ – puppet heads, hands and feet carved from Lyndie Wright’s designs for Globe Theatre’s production.
‘Nice Fish’ – puppet heads, hands and feet carved from Lyndie Wright’s designs for Harold Pinter Theatre production.
‘Boy’ – a table top puppet commissioned by Laura Morgan
‘Castaway Driftwood Boy’ a ventriloquist puppet made from the concept of – and for – Ben Steiner .
‘Leandro’ the Brazilian boy who dreams of being in the Olympics – made for Total Insight Theatre from their initial design.
December 31st, 2015
A Christmas Carol – 2015
Carving puppet heads from Lyndie Wright’s designs, for Noel Coward Theatre:
Jim Broadbent as young ScroogeÂ
as well as old Scrooge
Tiny Tim  Â
December 30th, 2015
Rumpelstiltskin at Norwich Puppet Theatre
I was asked to carve Rumpelstiltskin and the heads of the other characters from Zannie Fraser’s designs. This was Ripstop Theatre’s christmas production at Norwich Puppet Theatre.
Rumpestiltskin progress
the Girl
the Queen, the King and the Prince
December 30th, 2015
Oversize Rhajistani heads
Copied from small wooden puppets and carved in foam then covered in paper.
Made for Treasure Trove Puppet company.
August 12th, 2015
Ellen Rixford’s new book
Wonderful new book from Ellen Rixford that includes everything you need to know about puppet and automata making. Full of great examples by leading makers with detailed instructions and illustrations. I am very happy to be included.
www.figuresinthefourthdimension.com
November 15th, 2014
Gavin Glover’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Norwich Puppet Theatre
As part of the creative team making puppets for the Christmas production at NPT, Â these were the rustic characters I carved and constructed.
See more about Norwich Puppet Theatre and the production here:
June 8th, 2014
Newly made productions plus revised ones and other stuff.
EL NINO
Production made for the Spoleto Festival in Charleston , USA 2014. Â Puppets designed by Sally Todd, head and hands carved by myself.
Here are some photos from Charleston
More Punch & Judy carving courtesy of Lyndie Wright’s designs. This time for Kneehigh’s production of DEAD DOG IN A SUITCASE which starts its tour at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre in June ’14
watch a trailer on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YZomjRECjdo
THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS on tour
A co-production between Rene Baker and Norwich Puppet Theatre
Little Angel Theatre’s revived and revised production of
SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOODS
December 27th, 2013
Some of the work made in 2013
The projects ranged from functional pieces to automata and puppets. The puppet making  included working for productions staged at the Little Angel Theatre in London and Theatre der Jugend in Vienna
TONY AND MIKE
Tom Frankland and Laura Mugridge’ s touring production.
I contributed the blinking eyes for Tony – the country owl, and the flying machine for Mike – the town squirrel to Fiona Meakin’s puppets.
MACBETH
The characters in Little Angel Theatre’s production of Macbeth developed into birds. I was asked to make some of Lyndie Wright’s designs.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Carved wooden and foam heads plus hands for puppets designed by Michael Fowkes, that were used in Little Angel Theatre’s Christmas production.
THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS
Making the puppets for Rene Baker’s production at Norwich Puppet Theatre in February 2014.
You can see me talking to Rene Baker about the making of the Princess on: http://vimeo.com/81538463, and the Frog on: http://vimeo.com/81583290
November 11th, 2012
The Double at Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal, Bath
Making these puppets was a great team effort with Lyndie Wright designing, myself carving, Martin Corbin and Sue Field of PuppetCraft painting and making the costumes respectively. John Roberts made the wonderful life-size puppet of the epynomous character. Sarah Wright directed the puppetry and made it work.
November 11th, 2012
The Double – carved
I have had the pleasure of carving wood puppet heads and hands for Theatre Royal Bath who are putting on a production of Dostoyevsky’s The Double. It will be a mixture of live theatre and puppetry. Performances are from 22nd November till 22December 2012.
November 11th, 2012
The Tear Thief production
The production is now touring.
September 18th, 2012
The Tear Thief rehearsals
September 11th, 2012
Making of The Tear Thief finished
The puppets and props for The Tear Thief have now been tweaked and finished. The lovely costumes were made by Julia Jeulin.
August 8th, 2012
The Tear Thief
Here are some of the characters I have carved and painted for The Tear Thief. The Little Angel Theatre’s adaptation of Carol Ann Duffy’s modern fairy tale. The rehearsals will start at the end of August.
May 25th, 2012
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations
Lyndie Wright was commissioned to make a child friendly and interactive display as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Kensignon Palace.
She asked me to carve the heads of some of the characters and make the body of the carriage from her designs.
May 25th, 2012
Wild Swans
Puppets made for Young Vic and American Repertory Theater production of Wild Swans. The puppets were designed by Michael Fowkes. I had the pleasure of carving all the heads and hands.
October 31st, 2011
Indefinite Articles
Steve Tiplady and Sally Todd’s company ‘Indefinite Articles’ are working on their latest production ‘Penumbra’. They commissioned me to make clunky rod marionettes, which are meant to loosely represent Steve and Sally.
October 31st, 2011
Anna Karenina
I was asked to carve a wooden puppet – a toy horse – to be used in Joe Wright’s upcoming film of Anna Karenina. It turned out to be a very enjoyable job to do. Just as exciting was the experience of being an extra in the film. I was playing a puppet-maker, of course.
August 14th, 2011
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
I have been carving puppets of crabs, assorted heads and hands. These are for the latest Little Angel Theatre production, which is of a story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will be the Christmas show and will commemorate the theatre’s 50th anniversary. It is another collaboration, this time with Kneehigh Theatre. The designs are by Lyndie Wright.
July 26th, 2011
The Tear Thief – research and development
This is some of my work done for the proposed collaboration between The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and The Little Angel Theatre.
July 5th, 2011
The Tempest
Making the boats for the Tempest at times felt like doing a Chinese puzzle. The large boat had to break into 4 pieces on stage.
To see more on the making of the puppets for The Tempest, go to –
http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/tempest/making-the-puppets.aspx
THE MAGICIAN’S DAUGHTER
The Magician’s Daughter was a follow-up to The Tempest, but for even younger audiences.
The following are images of the making of a tree for the Magician’s Daughter. It felt rather odd, to be carving blocks of wood to create a tree. This was done, as the branches needed to be detachable for transportation.
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