Marionette Demo and Paper Puppet Making
A Children & Families Workshop with Sarah Vigars
Wednesday 6 August 2025
10.30am - 12.00pm & 2.00pm - 3.30pm
£3.00
Venue: MAKE Southwest
Suitable for: Children aged 5 + (with a supervising adult)
Level: All Abilities
Join marionette maker and puppeteer Sarah Vigars for a family friendly puppet making workshop!
Take a peak into the complex world of marionettes with a short puppeteering demo, then make your own paper puppet to
take home!
This workshop will involve the use of paper/card, scissors, glue and string.
Participants can make up to two different puppets within the workshop session.
These puppets can also be easily completed at home.
This workshop is for children aged 5+
All children to be accompanied by a supervising adult for the workshop duration.
There are two workshop timeslots to choose from:
10.30am - 12.00pm
2.00pm - 3.30pm
About Sarah:
I am a puppet maker and puppeteer with a specialism in marionette making (string puppets).To date, I have built puppets to commission for small-scale theatre, street theatre, film, participatory projects and private collections. In 2023 marionette making was added to the Heritage Crafts Association’s Red List of Endangered Crafts. I am therefore proud to be one of the few remaining marionette makers and operators based in the UK.
I currently teach puppet making through my online tutorials and carving kits. I am also in the early stages of developing an online short course in marionette making.
In 2020 I founded Flying with Strings Marionette Theatre in collaboration with musician Louis Bingham. Our first show Flying with Strings has toured to a diverse range of settings including puppetry festivals in Beverley, Newcastle and Smethwick. Since 2024 we have been working in partnership with Libraries Unlimited (Devon) to deliver family performances and craft workshops in rural libraries.
On the Day
All tools and materials will be provided.
All children to be accompanied by a supervising adult for the workshop duration.
On arrival please make your way to the side gate of the Riverside Mill, through the courtyard and up the stone stairs on the side of the building. Please let us know if you require the lift.
Please be aware that you cannot use the Co-op car park for all day parking. The Methodist Church car park and Station Road car park usually have plenty of spaces
This workshop is subsidised through our Arts Council England NPO grant funding. If you have prior knowledge that you cannot attend, please do get in touch with us as we operate a waiting list for all workshops.