It has been an absolute delight to work with the Learning & Participation Team at Royal Ballet & Opera to create magical puppetry experiences for children and their families as part of their Family Sunday events.

Since 2022 I have had the incredible opportunity to design and facilitate multiple workshop experiences at the Royal Opera House spanning puppetry performance, puppet making and immersive experiences.

One of the highlights has been a collaboration with Lucia Vernon-Long of the Mini Music Makers in creating a participatory immersive version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Children are free to choose to play heroic Tamino, the magical three Ladies or their enemy, the slippery, slithery Snake.

Creating a giant Snake puppet for the event, on the day I am joined by seven other trainee puppeteer parents, who after a quick introductory training session, become fully fledged snake puppeteers.

We are joined by professional opera singers straight from the Royal Opera stage itself, to guide us through simplified song as we recreate the opening drama performance together.

After the success of the Magic Flute event, I was invited back to create a giant puppetry river, for Das Rheingold from Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Children gathered around to puppeteer giant waves as the singers returned to take us through the story.

Another notable interactive performance would be a collaboration with Zoe Phillips of Deckle and Hide. Combining live puppetry and tour tours, we took children and their families through an accessible version of the Royal Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland using interaction props and immersive puppetry.

I also create puppet making workshops for Family Sundays with sustainability at their heart including using the incredible resources of the Royal Ballet & Opera Costume Workrooms, Lighting, Scenic and Props Departments.