Purves Puppets
International Purves Puppets have been firmly established as a professional company for 53 years, in which time they have toured the world, while also performing in their own award-winning permanent theatre - the first and permanent puppet theatre of its kind in Scotland. The company are household names throughout the U.K. having been welcomed in towns and cities up and down the country - as well as giving numerous T.V. appearances, but even more impressive are the number of countries they have been invited to perform in: France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Jordan, Syria, Singapore and Malta.
Their performances are given by large scale puppets (designed specifically for large scale theatres) and manipulated in Bunraku style by professional puppeteers. Most productions are performed in 'Black Light', where both the puppets and scenery glow like magic, while the operators seem to disappear among a kaleidoscope of fluorescent colours. The reason for their success is plain when talking to Jill and Ian Purves - Company Directors of the troupe. "Right from the start we decided that the best children's stories always have a joy and a sparkle of childhood magic to them - and it is obvious from the letters that we get, that this idea has been kept and comes across through our own performances".
Although designed specifically for younger audiences, the performances are appreciated not only by children, but adults as well. "Adults definitely enjoy our shows. Moreover, they appreciate the amount of work and care that has been put into our performances, specifically in the costumes, scenery and script". Purves Puppets have played for three generations! Children they originally played to, now grown up and returning with their own children. In this way, the 'magic' that has become so much a part of so many people's happy childhood memories carries on.
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