Harlequin Puppet Theatre

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Harlequin Puppet Theatre The Harlequin Puppet Theatre, the first purpose built puppet theatre in Great Britain. Designed by Eric Bramall in 1958. Grade 2 Listed.

It’s a tradition at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre that every show ends with a marionette cabaret. A tradition begun by Er...
17/10/2026

It’s a tradition at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre that every show ends with a marionette cabaret. A tradition begun by Eric Bramall at the very first performance in July 1958. Our Christmas production of Peter and the Wolf will be no exception.

The cabaret marionettes change from show to show, usually drawn from the Harlequin’s huge repertoire, with the occasional special guest who has never appeared on our stage before. But one thing never changes: the finale always features the Harlequin himself.

This iconic puppet created by Eric when the theatre opened and became the theatre’s figurehead. Interestingly, he didn’t always have his own marionette, that was added in 1963 for the first International Puppet Festival in Rhos, when Eric wanted something extra special for his cabaret. And so the marionette working the marionette was born.

See the Harlequin, and many more, at the original home of the marionette, the Harlequin Puppet Theatre, in our Christmas show Peter and the Wolf.

Link to tickets in the chat.

Tickets for Peter and the Wolf continue to sell incredibly well! A huge thank you to everyone who has already purchased...
11/10/2026

Tickets for Peter and the Wolf continue to sell incredibly well! A huge thank you to everyone who has already purchased theirs, your support means the world to us. Thank you.

It is the perfect Christmas show for families, full of magic, music and the Harlequin’s classic marionette charm. Britain’s original home of the marionette!

Here’s a wonderful old photograph of Peter with the Duck from an earlier production, puppets carved by Jack Whitehead and Waldo Lanchester.

Link to tickets is in the comments.

Peter and the Wolf was composed and written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. Natalia Sats, director of the Central Children’...
03/10/2026

Peter and the Wolf was composed and written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. Natalia Sats, director of the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow, asked Prokofiev to create a musical piece especially for children, he wrote both the orchestral score and the spoken narration himself.

The story is famous for introducing young audiences to the instruments of the orchestra, with each character brought to life by a different musical voice: the bird, the duck, the cat, Peter, the hunters……. and of course, the Wolf!

We’re delighted to say that so many tickets have already been sold for our Christmas marionette production on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th December. Thank you to everyone who has purchased so far.

If you’d like to join us for this festive favourite, the link to buy tickets is in the comments.

This Christmas, audiences at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre are in for a rare treat. We will be performing the legendary L...
28/09/2026

This Christmas, audiences at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre are in for a rare treat. We will be performing the legendary Lanchester Marionettes Peter and the Wolf on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th December, marking the first time these historic puppets have appeared on stage in over fifteen years and the first time the Lanchester puppets have been on the Harlequin stage in over 60 years!

The Lanchester marionettes were formed in 1929 following Waldo and Muriel’s marriage in Malvern. Their shows quickly became famous for their refined carving, expressive movement and beautifully detailed costumes. The company toured widely, performed for royalty and collaborated with major cultural figures including staging George Bernard Shaw’s only puppet play, Shakes versus Shav. A play he wrote for the Lanchster’s. Throughout the 1930s – 60s, the Lanchesters became one of Britain’s most respected marionette companies.

As an added delight, the first half of our programme will feature the Lanchester’s Underwater Ballet, a graceful and whimsical show that has not been seen publicly for decades. Together, these performances promise a magical celebration of music and Lanchester marionette mastery.

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to see the Lanchester marionettes brought back to life this Christmas at Great Britain’s home of the Marionette!

Link to tickets in the comments

Wishing the wonderful team at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater every success for Bob Baker Day in Los Angeles tomorrow. ...
19/09/2026

Wishing the wonderful team at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater every success for Bob Baker Day in Los Angeles tomorrow.
We were delighted to visit the theatre recently meeting the brilliant team and experiencing the magic of Bob’s world first‑hand. We’ll be sharing more news from our visit very soon

The Lanchesters’ Peter and the Wolf has travelled a remarkable path over the decades. Created in 1939, the production re...
19/09/2026

The Lanchesters’ Peter and the Wolf has travelled a remarkable path over the decades. Created in 1939, the production remained in Waldo and Muriel Lanchester’s repertoire until the mid 1970s, when they donated most of their performances and collection to the director of the Polka Children’s Theatre in London. The puppets stayed at Polka until the late 1980s, when the director left to form a new company, Parasol Theatre.

In 1997, the puppets were loaned to a new toy shop in Chelsea, London; Daisy & Tom, where they became part of an automaton that performed a short version of the show every 30 minutes. When the shop closed in 2008, the puppets were returned and placed into storage.

In 2014, Michael Dixon purchased the collection, and the following year he and Chris Somerville, the then director of the Harlequin, restaged the production in Wolverhampton to celebrate The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild’s 90th anniversary. The image below shows Chris on the puppet bridge during rehearsals.

This Christmas marks a very special moment: the first time these historic puppets will perform in over ten years.

We hope you can join us! Link to tickets in the comments.

Peter and the Wolf is set deep in a Russian forest in the heart of winter, a world of snow covered trees, crisp air, and...
13/09/2026

Peter and the Wolf is set deep in a Russian forest in the heart of winter, a world of snow covered trees, crisp air, and the echo of creatures moving through the cold.

Young Peter, full of bravery (and a little mischief), refuses to listen to his grandfather’s warnings. Instead of staying safely behind the garden gate, he slips out into the forest, determined to track down the Wolf for himself. What follows is a magical, musical adventure filled with danger, courage and unforgettable characters.

This Christmas, you can experience the story brought to life through beautifully crafted marionettes at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre, Britain’s first permanent puppet theatre and the historic home of the marionette. Link for tickets in the comments.

The beautifully carved heads of all the human and animal puppets in Peter and the Wolf were created by master craftsman ...
12/09/2026

The beautifully carved heads of all the human and animal puppets in Peter and the Wolf were created by master craftsman Jack Whitehead. His exceptional carving skills caught the eye of Waldo Lanchester, who invited him to sculpt the characters for the production. Waldo then built the human bodies to complete the marionettes.

Originally from the Cotswold's, Jack later founded his own touring company, The Whitehead Marionettes, performing across the South Cotswold's before relocating to Croyde, North Devon, where he established his carving workshop.

Jack’s talent extended far beyond puppetry; he became highly regarded for restoring and carving tall ship figureheads, a rare and specialist craft.

You can see Jack’s remarkable work brought to life in our production of Peter and the Wolf here at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre — the UK’s first permanent puppet theatre and the historic home of the marionette.

Link to tickets in the comments.

Our version of Peter and the Wolf was created by the famous Lanchester Marionettes and premiered in 1939, three years af...
05/09/2026

Our version of Peter and the Wolf was created by the famous Lanchester Marionettes and premiered in 1939, three years after Sergei Prokofiev wrote the composition. The photo shown here is from that original production.

The narrator tells a Russian folk tale which the orchestra illustrates by using different instruments to play a theme that represents each character in the story.

This December The Harlequin Puppet Theatre presents a rare opportunity to see these historical marionettes in action again retelling the story, perfect for the Christmas season.

To book tickets to see the show at the first and original home of the marionette, go to the link in the comments.

We’re delighted to announce this year’s magical Christmas show: our marionette production of Peter and the Wolf. Join us...
29/08/2026

We’re delighted to announce this year’s magical Christmas show: our marionette production of Peter and the Wolf. Join us for a festive adventure brought to life with beautifully crafted marionettes, enchanting storytelling and plenty of seasonal charm. At the Harlequin Puppet Theatre, the first and original home of the marionette. To book tickets go to the link in the comments. We look forward to seeing you in Dec!

Address

Harlequin Puppet Theatre, Rhos-on-sea
Colwyn Bay
LL284EP

Telephone

+441492548166

Website

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