Puppet show comes to town

A master puppeteer whose family have perfected their craft over generations is to bring his unique miniature circus show to the Black Country.

Slovakian Anton Anderle is a master of traditional marionette manipulation and his unusual circus has won the hearts of audiences all over the world.

The routines are performed by decades old wooden figures, many handed down though the Anderle family for generations.

He will be visiting the Glasshouse Arts Centre in Amblecote, Stourbridge, next month as part of the International Puppet Festival 2007.

The festival will see puppet shows taking place at venues around the country with Anton at the heart of it all.

His hour-long family show, The Smallest Circus in the World, is presented in English on a marionette stage and accompanied by live music on traditional Slovakian instruments.

Glasshouse spokesman Jo Evans said: "This is one of the most unusual shows we have staged at the Glasshouse and from what I hear it should be very entertaining.

"It really is a one-off to catch a traditional pupetteer like Anton Anderle performing on stage like this in Stourbridge." Anton and his puppets will be at the Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge, on Friday June 8 at 6pm.

He will also be at Kidderminster Town Hall on May 29 at 3pm.

The venue in Wollaston Road is also hosting the Thingumajig Theatre group on Friday June 15 as part of the puppet festival. The group will be performing Want, a comedy told through the use of puppets and masks.

The final festival performance will be, Girl in a Blue Dress, on June 16 at 2.30pm. Tickets for any of the shows can be bought The Glasshouse Arts Centre box office on 01384 399430.

Dynamics 07 is organising the festival and more can be found out at www.dynamicsfestival.com