Directing Puppetry - Two Day Weekend Workshop

Directing Puppetry - Two Day Weekend Workshop

Join Emma Williams, at Puppet Place on Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 January 2026, for a two-day practical puppetry workshop focused on the vital role of the director in live puppetry productions.

This hands-on workshop draws on Emma’s extensive career in puppetry as both director and dramaturge and is an opportunity to work with an industry veteran to explore the magic of puppetry.

What to Expect

Explore Puppetry Techniques: Discover a variety of puppetry styles and techniques, learning how to bring characters to life with dynamic and creative movement.

Animating the Story: Experiment with different methods of storytelling, from grounded and emotional narratives to comedic and absurdist approaches.

Dive into the Director’s Role: Gain insight into the intricate responsibilities of a puppetry director. We will look at shaping performances, working with space and scale, non- verbal and text-based performance. We will look at the obvious and hidden differences when working with puppetry as opposed to live performers and we will examine the theatrical relationship between puppeteer and puppet. To end with, we will create through puppetry a ridiculous and tragic scene and celebrate the failure and success of our efforts.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for creative professionals, performers, and artists with an interest in puppetry and a wish to expand their directing skills. You will learn practical skills, creative techniques, and a fresh perspective on the possibilities of this irreverent and exciting art form.

Facilitator: Emma Williams

Emma has directed and co-created international touring productions for Pickled Image, Green Ginger and Opposable Thumb Theatre.

Her most recent production Don Quixote (is a very big book):

“one of the best shows of 2025. it’s so funny your face will hurt” B24/7 is now touring internationally. In 2022 She directed the Wardrobe Theatres Christmas show MDH Puppets do a Movie "...it would be difficult to argue that this isn’t The Wardrobe Theatre’s finest yet." The Fix Magazine

For nine years, she was performance Director for The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Design and Puppetry production. Here she met and collaborated with Olivier award winning inventor and puppet maker Max Humphries. She was been a visiting lecture for Bath Spa, UWE, City of Bristol College, and Circomedia and has run puppet workshops in Oslo London Bath and Bristol. Emma brings unparalleled insight into the creative possibilities of this art form.

Contact Emma via emmasoarhd@gmail.com if you have any questions about the course or Sally Reay on info@puppetplace.org with regards to the venue.

Portrait photo above credited to: Mark Dawson Photography