Productions
Two shows made from the things that other people threw away: a park-keeper and her wheelbarrow world for audiences of all ages, and a family of spoonbills for the very youngest. Both are full of live music, handmade puppets and the chance to meet the characters up close afterwards.
Find out where to see them on our calendar. Venues and festivals: both shows are booking for 2027, so get in touch.
Tales from the Wheelbarrow
For all ages · Indoor or outdoor · Now booking
One park-keeper, one wheelbarrow and a bird made from other people's rubbish.
Meet Olive, the puppet park-keeper on a mission to tackle litter, and Teaspoon, an anarchic bird made entirely from discarded materials. Their story unfolds on a life-size wheelbarrow, where everyday objects take on curious new forms and tidying the park never quite goes to plan. As Olive tidies, she meets wildlife and unexpected visitors.
Two puppeteers, Michelle Reader and Steno Vitale, bring the wheelbarrow world to life, with Steno's original music played live in every performance.
Funny, musical and largely non-verbal, it works for toddlers, older children and grown-ups alike. Every puppet and prop is handmade from found and recycled materials. Come and help Olive with her mission, then meet the puppets after the show.
“Loved it! My son laughed and we bopped along to the rhythm. Joy!” Parent, Nottingham Puppet Festival.
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25 minutes standard length, 35 minutes including meeting the puppets afterwards
Up to 3 performances a day
Recommended audience size of 30 to 50, end-on, ideally with cushions or rugs for children at the front
Minimum space 3.2m width × 2m depth × 2.3m height; no stage needed
Set-up 20 minutes minimum, 45 preferred; tours in a standard car
Team of two; power useful for amplification
Can be paired with a recycled-materials making workshop
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Nottingham Puppet Festival, at libraries and community gardens across the city
Portland Collection, Harley Foundation
National Civil War Centre, Newark
Seaview Colonnade, Sutton-on-Sea
The Vibrant Venue, Warsop
Windmill Community Gardens, Nottingham
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Smethwick Puppetry Festival, February 2027
See our calendar for dates and details of forthcoming shows.
Wading and Wandering
For under-fives and their families · Sensory-friendly · Now booking
A seaside adventure for the very youngest.
Follow a family of spoonbill puppets made from litter pickers, spoons and salvaged plastic bottles, as they forage, wade and explore a tideline landscape littered with found objects and washed-up treasures. Through puppetry, movement and song, young audiences meet the curious birds that inhabit our coastlines.
Designed for under-fives and their families, the show blends visual storytelling with live movement and music, making it warm, playful and easy to follow regardless of language or previous theatre experience. Along the way, children learn simple dance moves and songs inspired by the spoonbills themselves, discovering how they move, what they look like, and what they eat.
Co-created and performed by Michelle Reader and Miriam Keye, with story-building support from writer Leanne Moden.
“Captivating and amazingly creative. We absolutely loved it!” Parent, Just So Festival.
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35-minute performance plus up to 25 minutes of making and play
Up to 3 performances a day
Recommended audience size of 15 children and their grown-ups
Needs a sheltered space: indoors, a marquee or a gazebo
Set-up and breakdown 1 hour; tours in a standard car
Team of two; uses battery-powered speakers, power for charging useful
Minimum performance area 4m width × 2.5m depth × 2.3m height
Songs use Makaton signs; sensory-friendly
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Mansfield Palace Theatre
Mansfield Woodhouse Family Hub
Just So Festival, Cheshire
The Vibrant Venue, Warsop
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Now booking for 2027. New dates will be added to our calendar as they’re confirmed.