RMT’s “The Tempest” returns for Shakespeare’s Anniversary year

Posted on by Collette Knowles
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mess1We are delighted to announce that after an absence of 10 years Rough Magic Theatre is re-launching our ever popular production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest“.  Please CLICK HERE for the main Rough Magic Theatre show page including the history and photo’s of the production.

This year (2016) is the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring back Rough Magic Theatre’s first ever production.

Leo Nolan-Evans (a fantastic musician and performer) will be returning to play the leading role of Prospero.

goodpicleoLeo came up with the whole original concept for the production and is therefore responsible for my first puppet making exploits.  Since that first introduction, puppetry has gone on to be something of a personal obsession and I have made puppets and performed in a great many other productions since then.

img025“The Tempest” has gone through a good many versions over the years and I have no doubt that we will be tweaking it once again so that the performance is new, fresh and the best it can be whilst keeping all of the good old stuff too.

We are due to perform the show twice on Saturday the 23rd of July for Historical Hereford Day (for details CLICK HERE).  However the show will be available to book for June 2016 onwards.

The show comes in a shorter 30 minute version for outdoors and a longer hour version for indoor venues such as schools, theatres etc.  Teachers packs will be available for school bookings.  Please CLICK HERE to book the show for your venue/event.db_pic3

Rough Magic Theatre’s New Edward Lear Picture Book

Posted on by Collette Knowles
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Edward Lear Books at Bentham Christmas ShoppingSome time ago I was lucky enough to receive a visit from Meg Amsden  of Nutmeg Puppet Company (who was chair of BrUNIMA at the time).

Meg is a good friend of Ali Clough of Pioneer Projects who, like myself, is a resident of High Bentham and I had invited her to come and see my new Shadow Suitcase show “Edward Lear’s Nonsense” while she was up here visiting Ali.  Meg was also keen to see our Liquorice toy theatre and Hansel & Gretel set/characters and to hear more about Harry Oudekerk’s Vischmarkt Papierentheater Festival in the Netherlands: a festival that we recently attended.  You can see lots of previous blog posts about the making of the Hansel & Gretel show if you search through (click HERE for earliest H&G post).

Meg made lots of lovely comments on the Edward Lear show and also suggested that the puppets could be used to make an accompanying picture book that I could sell.  This idea has been at the back of my mind as a project for “when I get round to it” and finally at the end of last year I did it.

book cover

I made about 10 books of Edward Lear’s poem “The New Vestments” and scanned the shadow puppets to create the illustrations for the book.  I did not use the name of the poem for the title of the show because “vestments” is an old fashioned and confusing word that we tend not to use much these days.  The idea was that I would be able to sell the books to people when I am performing the show but I decided to try selling them at one of Bentham’s late night Christmas Shopping events (organised by We Are Bentham ).  I brought the shadow theatre along with me just for display purposes to explain where the illustrations had come from.  I am happy to say that for this trial run I sold every single copy and my display copy as well!  Thank-you Bentham folks!

If you would like to book my “Edward Lear’s Nonsense” shadow puppet show or “Hansel & Gretel” Toy theatre show don’t hesitate to get in touch.  CLICK HERE to contact me.