When the Little Angel Theatre started in 1961, under the stewardship of John and Lyndie Wright, it was a marionette theatre.
The Children’s Puppet Festival continues this long association with the magic of puppetry, and Out of the Hat!, from Long Nose Puppets, is an absolutely charming musical about friendship and ‘putting on a show’.
When Doris and Delilah, colourful birds who share a nest, wake up one morning, they decide to spend the day planning a magic show. But as they discover, it isn’t just about finding the right hat.
With over ten puppets, all beautifully detailed by Polly Dunbar and Katherine Morton, we are truly in the world of the woodland, where even the insects get excited at the idea of a show.
It’s all animated with unbridled energy by the puppeteers (Ant and Katherine Morton, Sophie Powell, Richard Osborne, Lisa Mills & Annie Brooks), and set to lively music composed by Tom Gray.
Out of the Hat! is aimed at the 3-8 age range, and has something to delight everyone. As our industrious birds make costumes, change their names, design a set, and set about making a splash, their new-found friends (moth, frog, spider, stick insect) help them at every turn.
Funny, bright, intelligent, and hugely entertaining, this enthralled the tots and youngsters dotted around the theatre. The art of making a puppet appear real cannot be underestimated, and Long Nose Puppets make it look so easy.
The songs are a variety of styles but always with a hook you’ll remember after leaving the theatre, with clever lyrics structured to appeal to older audience members. This isn’t a show with conflict, just camaraderie.
Showing as part of a wider Children’s Puppet Festival at Little Angel Theatre & Studio, you can watch Out of the Hat! until 11 Aug. For details on the whole festival, visit https://www.littleangeltheatre.com/seasons/childrens-puppet-festival-2024/.
*****
Image credit: Long Nose Puppets