Coming to Abingdon this summer, Puppet Theatre Barge present an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant. Daily Info sat down with the team to discuss this production and what audiences can expect from the mariotettes.
Daily Info: What's the Puppet Theatre Barge all about?
Puppet Theatre Barge: The Puppet Barge is one of the UK’s most unique theatre venues. A puppet theatre inside a converted Thames barge! The theatre has been putting on performance for more than 40 years and is run by 3 generations of the same family. We aim to capture our audiences imaginations from the moment they step aboard and transport them using the magic of puppetry.
DI: What can audiences expect from the show?
PTB: The puppet barge specialises in marionettes (string puppets) and this year we are premiering our new production based on Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant. Expect fun, poignancy and marionettes!
DI: How do you feel about this being for some audience their first introduction to puppetry?
PTB: This is a great way to experience puppetry for the first time! Marionettes are quite hard to find so it might be the last marionette show they see for a while unless they come back to the puppet barge!
DI: Where would you place puppetry for a modern theatre audience?
PTB: I think that where puppetry was associated with children and children’s theatre, the modern adult audience is more open to engaging with the art form than ever before. Our show can be enjoyed by all ages and I think that’s one of the great things about puppetry.
DI: Can you sum the show up in three words?
PTB: Mind. Blowing. Marionettes.
Puppet Theatre Barge's The Selfish Giant is on Abbey Meadows, Abingdon-on-Thames from Saturday 22nd July to Sunday 13th August. Tickets can be booked here.