E2: OBJECT, UNIVERSE & LIFE IN PERFORMANCE
Merlin Puppet Theatre
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SPACE SIX
Monday 8th - Tuesday 9th April 2019
10am - 5pm daily
Ages 18+ / adults
£120
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An approach to all three basic elements that contribute to making a complete visual universe - Object, Universe and Life. OBJECT - puppet, mask, shadows; UNIVERSE - scenography, light and sound; LIFE - how these elements become animate. An exploratory laboratory, which examines through analysis, practice and experimentations, how a harmonious puppetry performance is created. Through improvisations and research on stage individually and in groups, participants will work on how to develop and realise an idea, all the way from scratch to the final desirable result. See here for Merlin Puppet Theatre's show at the festival, "Noone's Land".
Meet The Team
Our founders
William Steele | Education Lead & Co-Founder
William Steele is a producer and puppeteer who trained at Northumbria University in Drama an Scriptwriting. He then went on to study improvisation at the Danish School of Improvisation and is also a 2018 graduate of the Curious School of Puppetry. He is a founding director of Space Six CIC - an independent office and rehearsal venue for performing artists. He is also a director of Life and Limb Puppets, which has a proven track record of delivering high quality applied puppetry interventions around mental health needs. Will is one of the original founders of Moving Parts Arts along with Kerrin Tatman and a founder of the improvisation company Open Heart Theatre. He has taught puppetry and improvisation at Northern Stage, Northern School of Art, Newcastle College and the Hideout Theatre in Austin Texas.
Will was a Director of Moving Parts Arts along with Kerrin between 2017-2021 but remains in the role of Education Lead, which includes directing our education projects, Puppet School and outreach workshops.
Kerrin Tatman | Artistic Director & Co-Founder (they/them)
Kerrin Tatman is an award-winning creative producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and theatre maker based in Newcastle. They are passionate about bringing artists, participants and audiences together to create meaningful and impactful creative experiences that transform spaces and diversify regional arts delivery. Kerrin is the Co-Artistic Director of Beverley Puppet Festival along with Anna Ingleby and has co-delivered three festivals with the organisation in this role, the experience of which led to the co-founding of Moving Parts Arts in 2017 along with William Steele.
As a musician, Kerrin plays and writes for a varied range of projects scaling circus, dance, theatre and concert hall, with clients including Hull Philharmonic Orchestra, The Tallis Scholars, The D Project and Circus Central. Kerrin is also one half of Tatwood Puppets alongside Matthew Wood, a touring company specialising in visual theatre, puppetry and original soundtracks.
Kerrin runs the day-to-day activities and oversees the directional progression of Moving Parts Arts, which includes programming, project development and strategic planning.
Our Trustees
Margaret Pinder | Chair, trustee
Margaret Pinder studied English and Modern Languages at King’s College, Cambridge where she was heavily involved in the music scene playing co-principal double bass in the university music society’s first orchestra. She went on to qualify as a solicitor, practising international shipping law in the City and then moving to the United States where she specialised in international corporate law on Wall Street before joining the faculty of Harvard University.
Returning to the UK she worked as a legal consultant before taking on the role of Head of Market Intelligence for a major international law firm. In 2017 she was selected to join the CBI’s Executive Leadership Programme. She now works as a music and project manager for Polyphony Arts, a classical music agency based in Newcastle. Margaret also serves as Chair of the Hull Philharmonic Society and is board member and trustee for Hull Chamber Music.
Alison McGowan | Secretary, trustee
Alison McGowan has an extensive puppetry career spanning over 20 years working in theatre, film and television as well as in education and community settings. Alison has worked in the West End of London as a puppeteer for Improbable Theatre (2001); for CBeebies as ‘Tamba’ in Tikkabilla (2002-2003) and most recently as a puppeteer on ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ for Lucasfilm (2018); ‘Solo’ for Lucasfilm (2017) and ‘The Dark Crystal’ for Netflix (2018).
Alison is a director and founder of PuppetShip CIC, an organisation which creates puppetry performances and workshops across the North East and nationally. As a puppetry tutor and workshop facilitator Alison has worked at the University of Northumbria; the Royal Centre School of Speech and Drama; the National Student Drama Festival and The Royal College of Art. As a child psychotherapist, Alison currently works part-time in a primary school setting using puppetry in therapy, and for the Northern Guild of Psychotherapy in Jesmond.
Jonny Bussell | Treasurer, trustee
Jonny Bussell studied Philosophy at Newcastle University and then went on to study MA Acting at Arts Educational Schools London. After graduating Jonny has worked as an actor and director predominantly in the North East of England, performing in productions such as ‘Revenger’s Tragedy’ and ‘The Duchess of Malfi’.Jonny recently directed ACE-funded ‘Bankers’ at Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle.
As a writer Jonny’s first full length play ‘The Centre’ was produced at ARC in Stockton. His play ‘The Bag’ toured the North East of England and Scotland with Northumberland Theatre Company and his short plays have been performed at venues such as Live Theatre, The Cockpit Theatre and Theatre 503. He was the writer of ‘Just Checking’ and ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ with Vivid Theatre Company and Newcastle University that were performed at Northern Stage and ARC. Jonny is currently Faculty Leader for Stage & Screen at The Northern School of Art. He oversees BA Acting, Film, TV and Theatre Production, Visual Effects & Model Making and Production Design.
Eleanor Woolstencroft | Trustee
Eleanor Woolstencroft joined Moving Parts Arts at 18, with years of experience in political campaigning and the social justice movement. Through these experiences, she was inspired by the transformative potential of the arts. As the youngest person to graduate the Jo Cox Women in Leadership program, Eleanor has set her sights on making a difference, uniting local, national and international communities through the power of art.
The Rest of our team
Becky Pereira | Producer
Becky is a producer, arts campaigner and project coordinator in the North East’s culture and third sector. She believes in access, grassroot talent, and karma. Fuelled by strawberry tea and her natural noseyness, she engages in big and small conversations and facilitates true involvement in the process of change. Becky is a middle-child, and so thrives off of the opportunity to pull something together that will be enjoyable, impressive and win her some validation.
Becky is particularly interested in how we as a sector can listen and represent without mining experiences, and questioning what access does and can mean, and how to do it well. Becky has previously led projects in heritage, community exhibitions, access to arts consultations, and music programs for voluntary and involuntary migrants.
When not working at Moving Parts Arts, Becky is currently working on the national arts campaign Fun Palaces based at Sage Gateshead. In this role she works with local communities, experimenting with ideas of cultural democracy, narrative change and why having fun is important.
Vicky Tate | Participation and Engagement Lead
Vicky is a writer and theatre practitioner. After studying Drama at Northumbria
University, she went on to complete her Masters in Creative writing. Shortly
after she won the International Young Writers award and worked with several
theatre companies across the UK.
Vicky has worked extensively within the field of participatory arts as both a
facilitator and project co-ordinator, with a particular focus on working with
people who’s voices are often unheard or excluded.
Vicky is inspired and excited by creativity in its many forms, and the unique
ability it has to connect people, to challenge perceptions, and to create
positive change in the world.
JonJoe Clennell | Assistant Producer
My name is JonJoe Clennell. My role during this Newcastle Puppetry Festival is "Working In Events Intern". I have previous festival experience in my position as a "Young Evaluator" with "Juice". I am excited to be back in the Arts & Culture sector having previously worked as an Intern for Strong Voices at Sage Gateshead. One of my life goals is to have a career in events management. My main hobbies and interests are WWE, Newcastle Eagles, Newcastle United and travelling.
Louise Gregory | Technical & Production Manager
Louise Gregory works internationally as a Production & Stage Manager, specialising in productions in unusual and community venues. She has worked on outdoor performances and the North East of England, at GDIF, Imagine Luton and Latitude Festival. Production Management credits include The Believers are But Brothers (Javaad Alipoor); salt., Race Cards and The Missy Elliott Project (Selina Thompson); The Department of Distractions and Partus (Third Angel); Buzzcut Festival 2021; and Newcastle Fringe Festival 2021 (Alphabetti Theatre). She also works as a Lighting Designer, and is Lead Artist on NAVIGATE, a programme for early-career Scottish artists from a disadvantaged or marginalised background to develop Covid-safe performances, including across new digital formats.
Louise was the Production and Health & Safety Director for the 2019 festival and for Tyne Rising in 2021.
Rachael Horner | Illustrator & Graphic Designer
Rachael Horner is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, originally from Beverley but now based in Brighton. Rachael was awarded a BA (Hons) in illustration from Falmouth University and then went on to pursue her love of colour and texture to create bold and colourful large-scale collages. Other clients include Puppets in Beverley, the RHS, Scilly Flowers, DCUK, Taste of London and Survive.
Rachael designed all Moving Parts Arts graphic content 2017-2023, including the shadow puppet characters, bespoke font, Tyne Rising poster, Puppet School pop up theatre and this website.
Lesley-anne Rose | Stop Motion Animation Consultant
Lesley-anne Rose is an award winning animator and artist who lives and works in Newcastle upon Tyne. Lesley-anne has made animations for broadcast TV as well as online content commissions for the BBC, shorts for museums and art galleries, including the Tate, BALTIC, Laing and Woodhorn Museum.
As well as commissioned work, Lesley-anne produces participatory projects with marginalised groups in the region, work with organisations like GemArts, Equal Arts, the NHS, Newcastle University, Helix Arts and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, facilitating the production of unique, award winning animated shorts.
Chloe Rodham | Animator and Workshop Facilitator
Chloe Rodham is a freelance animator and educator. She graduated from UCA Farnham in 2010 and has been working freelance on projects ever since, from indents and social ads to short films and explainer videos. She works in a variety of techniques and loves to create using stop motion animation and model making.
Chloe was the 2019 Stop Motion Commission creator for Moving Parts and has since created animations for the festival, such as the Tyne Rising poster animation in 2021. Chloe has also designed and delivered bespoke workshops and puppet making activities for Moving Parts.
A huge thank you to all of the people who have helped us to get to where we are now.​
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Anna Ingleby of Beverley Puppet Festival for first mentoring Kerrin within puppet festival producing
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Mariley Reinoso Olivera who was instrumental in the 2019 festival
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Laura Firby and Erin Connor who were instrumental in the 2021 festival
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Gillian Firth who continues to be an incredible support through mentorship in fundraising
