Workshops
The Fetch Theatre offers a wide range of unique educational work packages suitable for all ages and abilities. Our workshop leaders have many years experience of delivering workshops in all educational fields.
Don't let age or ability become a barrier, we have something for Everyone!
If you want to book a workshop, please get in touch!
Here is the menu:
Exploring Bunraku Puppetry
Bunraku puppetry is a non verbal form of visual theatre originating in Japan in the 16th Century. It is very different to the Western style of puppetry as the Puppeteers are not hidden and the puppets are attached to the performers bodies, so that puppet and puppeteer become one emotional entity.
This workshop will teach the methods used by puppeteers to make the puppet come bursting into life and demonstrate the techniques needed to ensure that the puppets gestures can be clearly read by an audience.
We have many beautiful Fetch made Bunraku puppets that we will bring to the workshop, so participants can have a one to one empowering experience working with their own puppet.
Shadow Puppetry
This workshop crosses many learning fields from the science of light to the beauty of animated stories.
Firstly, participants will be shown how to operate shadow puppets, teaching them the various ways that shadows can be use to tell stories. They will begin by manipulating our exquisitely made shadow puppets on our shadow screen, and then use an overhead projector to increase the size and scale of the image.
After this inspiring introduction into visual animation, the group will be given the task of making their own shadows from materials that we will provide, and then return to the screen with their new shadow puppets to devise a short story.
This workshop can be tailor-made to fit with your specific educational requirements and current topics.
'Second Skin' - Performing in Mask
This workshop is designed to introduce participants into the use of masks to create unique characters.
The session will begin with physical theatre exercises to encourage the group to start thinking of their bodies as an expressive tool that can tell stories.
Your group will then work with neutral, blank white masks, which will highlight the impact that any physical movement, no matter how subtle, can have on an audience.
The group will then each be given a full character mask, and introduced to a series of improvisation games that will guide them into finding a character for their mask.
This captivating introduction to mask is a must for everyone interested in performing at any level, as it is designed to open the door to physical characterization giving actors and performers a deeper presence on stage.
It is also liberating for those that lack confidence as the mask acts as a barrier to the audiences glare.
Scrunch Puppets
This simple and relatively quick puppet making workshop uses only masking tape and newspaper to create striking and easily crafted puppets.
Participants simply scrunch up the paper and shape it with the tape, in order to create fascinating characters or creatures from their imagination.
Each crafted puppet is then paraded, cat walk style within the space, giving each participant the chance to show off their unique scrunch puppet.
This workshop can be tailored to most age groups and abilities, and can be delivered in an educational setting or at an event or festival.
Walking With Giants
This is extreme puppet making at its best! Participants will be taught how to build a giant 'spectacular' 15 foot puppet in just a few hours.
Using bamboo and cane, the group will collectivly construct a giant puppet. Our professionally experienced workshop leader will then teach the group to puppeteer the giant, so that it wakes, breaths and walks for the very first time.
As the group become more confident, and if possible, they will then take their puppet for a walk and show off their creation to the world outside.
"In an amazingly short time, our first year students, discovered that they had made a giant skeleton that could walk, run and even pole dance around a lamppost, The Fetch seem to be able to make the imposable possible!” - Stuart Curry (Worcester University)
Mask and Puppet Making Workshops
The Fetch run puppet making courses and workshops that take participants through the artistic and practical processes needed to design and make their own stunning puppet or mask.
The emphasis is on quality, therefore we insist that the participants have enough time to craft their work properly.
This ensures that each participant can take away with them, not only an object of beauty, but a unique puppet or mask that could walk on stage and mesmerise an audience.
“It was fantastic making a Fetch style puppet, but seeing it move at the end made it seem even more worthwhile.” - Participant of Assembly rooms Fetch puppet weekend.
Greek Workshop
This day long workshop is aimed at Junior schools, who are exploring the Greeks in their curriculum. It is lead by our Artistic Director , who will take your class on a theatrical journey into the ancient world of Greek Mythology.
Using either the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, or Perseus and Medusa, we will create a twenty minute performance with your pupils that can vividly portray either legend.
Participants will be introduced to mask, puppetry and shadow play along the way.
The performance can then be watched, by the whole school at the end of the session.
“I highly recommend this! It is incredible how much can be learned and achieved through drama, in just one day.” - Head Teacher (Ludlow Junior school)
'Clapper Box' - Object Theatre
This Unique workshop introduces participants into the bizarre and innovative world of object animation.
Is it puppetry? Is it story telling? Is it animation? No its a plane! But the plane is a clothes peg! Confused? Then don’t be, this experimental art form is all of the above and more.
Participants will first experience Clapper Box, our interactive object theatre puppet booths, clearly illustrating this new art form in action.
Participants will then choose a mix of ten eccentric and everyday objects, and guided in how to use them to animate a story.
In an increasingly visual world, this workshop gives people the chance to tell stories and animate them in a completely new and creative way - a chance for them to think outside of the 'Box'!