The International Puppet Festival will run in Ireland from October 23rd to October 30th. The puppets have grown in sophistication over the years, and some of the shows are directed at adults, with some wonderful entertainment on offer.
“Puppet Fest was inspired by Eugene Lambert, who had the idea of attracting international shows to Ireland. This idea came to him after visiting the Charleville festival in France in the 1970s. A lot of people imagine that puppet shows are mainly for children, but there are at least two shows that are aimed specifically at adults. One is called Showboat, and a performance from Russia calledTchemodan,” said Emily Tully, communications officer for Puppet Fest.
During Puppet Fest week there will be free performances given in various libraries in Dublin and Wicklow, as well as street events in Temple Bar and in Bray. In the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire, there will be lots of fantastic puppet shows and characters from all over the world, including The little monkey from Yao Mountain, Farmers Jolly Walkabout, and The Chinese Princess and the Cricket.
Acclaimed French director, Martial Anton, co-directs The Legend of Lowry Lynch, which tells the story of King Lowry, who, after he became King, decreed that hair should be cut only once per year, which resulted in all the barbers fleeing the country - except for one called Seamus... This show is about friendships, differences and bullying. The Legend of Lowry Lynch involves a new type of performance with inventive staging, strong characters and enchanting music.
The Lambert Theatre was founded in Dublin in 1972 by Eugene Lambert, who developed an interest in puppetry at an early age. He and his wife Mai had ten children, and in the early years Eugene supplemented his day job as a refrigeration engineer with his own puppet shows, appearing first in private houses and at gala dinners and concerts. In later years he toured the US, Japan and Australia, introducing his puppet theatre and promoting Ireland for the Irish Tourist Board. Some of his well known puppets are Bosco, Judge and Finnegan.
Some of the American 20th century puppeteers whose genius lit up stages were master puppeteer, Bill Baird; Remo Bufano, who used giant puppets; and Jim Henson, famous for The Muppet Show. The diversity of modern day performances is staggering - puppetry has met and conquered the electronic age and invaded every dramatic arena, including theatre, opera, television and film. The Lambert family are on the board of directors of Puppet Fest.
Communications officer, Emily Tully said, “Puppet fest has a regular audience following and a huge childrens audience but we would like adults to check out some of the adult shows including Boathouse, which tells the story of a mother who brings her two children to live with her in a boathouse because the town is too dangerous, and Tchemodan, which is a comedy performance coming from Russia.
There will be performances from thirteen different countries including Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong. There is a strong interest in puppetry with children and adults, mainly teachers, eager to learn the art in our workshops.”
Acclaimed French director, Martial Anton, co-directs The Legend of Lowry Lynch, which tells the story of King Lowry, who, after he became King, decreed that hair should be cut only once per year, which resulted in all the barbers fleeing the country - except for one called Seamus... This show is about friendships, differences and bullying. The Legend of Lowry Lynch involves a new type of performance with inventive staging, strong characters and enchanting music.
The Lambert Theatre was founded in Dublin in 1972 by Eugene Lambert, who developed an interest in puppetry at an early age. He and his wife Mai had ten children, and in the early years Eugene supplemented his day job as a refrigeration engineer with his own puppet shows, appearing first in private houses and at gala dinners and concerts. In later years he toured the US, Japan and Australia, introducing his puppet theatre and promoting Ireland for the Irish Tourist Board. Some of his well known puppets are Bosco, Judge and Finnegan.
Some of the American 20th century puppeteers whose genius lit up stages were master puppeteer, Bill Baird; Remo Bufano, who used giant puppets; and Jim Henson, famous for The Muppet Show. The diversity of modern day performances is staggering - puppetry has met and conquered the electronic age and invaded every dramatic arena, including theatre, opera, television and film. The Lambert family are on the board of directors of Puppet Fest.
Communications officer, Emily Tully said, “Puppet fest has a regular audience following and a huge childrens audience but we would like adults to check out some of the adult shows including Boathouse, which tells the story of a mother who brings her two children to live with her in a boathouse because the town is too dangerous, and Tchemodan, which is a comedy performance coming from Russia.
There will be performances from thirteen different countries including Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong. There is a strong interest in puppetry with children and adults, mainly teachers, eager to learn the art in our workshops.”
