Puppet theatre aims to make artform 'less niche'

Work to build a specialist puppet theatre is under way following the success of an annual festival.

Moving Parts Arts has run Newcastle's Puppetry Festival since 2017, but now the company is to open a permanent home in an abandoned AA call centre in Elswick with the hope of making the artform "less niche".

Artistic director Kerrin Tatman said puppetry is often "misunderstood" but it now has a "growing following".

The new space will allow for more community workshops as well as additional performances.

Kerrin said there is a misconception about puppetry and people "think that's something for children only or that's only Punch and Judy".

"But, actually, puppetry comes in all shapes and sizes and it is very much for everyone."

Moving Parts wants to make its work more accessible, taking its annual parade through the the city centre for everyone to see.

The Newcastle Puppetry Festival is now one of the largest festivals of puppetry in the UK, Kerrin said, adding the goal has always to open a theatre.

"We've dreamt of this very unique venue that may be something that's missing in Newcastle- a visual, sensory, storytelling theatre," they said.

The new space in Carr Ellison House will first act as the workshop for the 2025 festival, which will run from 19-27 April with the theme 'Toon Underground'.

Kerrin said it will act as a test for future community workshops with the aim of opening the theatre in April to coincide with the festival.

But the hard work is just beginning.

Moving Parts has fundraised over £5,000 to buy new flooring, staging and potentially upgrade its light and sound equipment and they intend to do most of the work themselves.

"It might not be glamorous," said Kerrin, "but we can at least say we built something from scratch here."

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