Pride & Prejudice and Atonement Director Joe Wright
Tweet

Joe Wright Directs Little Angel Puppets for 50th

Next year sees the Little Angel puppet theatre reach its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the venue has announced a bumper season of work showcasing shows for children alongside adult work, with Pride and Prejudice and Atonement director Joe Wright, son of the venue's founders, returning to direct at the Islington venue.

The 100-seat theatre was founded by John and Lyndie Wright in 1961. According to press material, “the theatre has never deviated from its aim of providing puppetry of the highest artistic calibre and as a result a third generation of Little Angel audiences are now bringing their grandchildren to the shows.”

For Christmas 2011, a new production is in development inspired by a Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story, created by the theatre’s founding family Lyndie, Sarah and Joe Wright in association with Kneehigh Theatre's Mike Shepherd, Anna-Maria Murphy and Ian Ross.

Joe Wright's critically-acclaimed directing career includes the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice which received four Oscars nominations and starred Keira Knightley. He continued his work with the star for his 2007 film Atonement, which received six Oscar nominations, going on to win the award for Best Musical Score.

Other highlights of Little Angel's 2011 season include a children’s version of The Tempest (9 April-15 May), co-produced with the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by the theatre's artistic director Peter Glanville, as well as a revival of the very first production ever performed at the venue – Edwardian farce The Wild Night of the Witches – which will be brought back in August by a team of trainee marionettists.

From 28 October to 6 November 2011 the Suspense London Puppetry Festival returns, bringing puppetry to adult audiences, and this time welcoming three new venues – New Diorama, The V&A and the Camden Roundhouse.  

As well as its theatre programme, the Little Angel continues to expand its community work and promotion of puppet theatre. As part of this, it is introducing The Little Angel Puppetry Award, “for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to UK puppetry during the year”. The first winner will be announced in the Autumn of 2011 as part of the Suspense Festival.

- by Theo Bosanquet & Andrew Girvan

Related Content

Reader Comments