Puppet Shows

The Elfin Grove present ‘Ivan and the Thief’ – adapted from a Russian folk tale.

A peasant tries to solve the mystery of his disappearing corn. He enlists his three sons, in turn, to help him. His youngest son discovers the ‘thief’ – a little white horse!

No visit to the museum is complete without a performance of our enchanting, traditional, fairytale puppet show, guaranteed to delight children and adults alike.

Our aim is to give children impressions that are imaginative and life-affirming, with the faithful re-telling of fairy stories and traditional tales from a variety of cultures and traditions.

Our stage has been specially designed for the museum and we create our puppets and scenery using re-cycled and found materials.

Duration of show: 20 – 30 minutes.

Our puppet shows can be adapted for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 and booked as part of a school visit to the museum, a group booking or outreach.

Suggested post-visit activities:

English:

• recognise story structure and themes, such as the triumph of good over evil or the use of magical devices in fairy stories and folk tales
• re-tell the story; orally, through written work, pictures or movement
• predict what happens next in the story.

We hope to inspire schools in puppetry, providing the potential for children to:

• work collaboratively in groups
• be engaged in a wide range of curriculum based learning, including:
  • Art and design – manipulation of a wide variety of materials including textiles
  • Design and technology – exploration of the working characteristics of materials and how mechanisms can be used in different ways
  • Science – design and make an electrical series circuit for theatre lighting, exploring light and shadows
  • Speech and drama – performing with puppets also supports PSHE, as children gain confidence, overcoming shyness as they identify with their character
  • Music – improvise and compose music for performance

For further information, please email  education@brightontoymuseum.co.uk