NOTE: This course is hosted by the Little Angel Theatre in London UK.
Bookings are managed by the Little Angel Theatre: click here to book
Course venue: Little Angel Workshop, 41 Cross Street, London N1 2BB
About the Course
This course is suitable for adult beginner carvers: you might be completely new to puppetry, or a more experienced puppet maker who is new to woodcarving. On this course you will learn how to carve and assemble a simple marionette bird under careful step-by-step instruction from tutor Sarah Vigars. This will include the use of a vice, carving chisels and other handheld tools. By the end of the course you will have a completed carved puppet to take home. You will also be introduced to optional finishing techniques (eg. painting or oiling) which can be undertaken at home with additional guidance from online tutorials.
Please note that when you book a place, only the start date and time is shown on the booking system, but your ‘ticket’ covers the full event as detailed above.
About the Tutor
Sarah Vigars is a puppet maker and puppeteer with a specialism in marionette making. To date, she has built puppets to commission for small-scale theatre, street theatre, film, participatory projects and private collections. Based in Devon, she also devises and performs original puppet shows with her company Flying with Strings Marionette Theatre. Her new show The Treetop Circus is currently touring to schools and libraries throughout the southwest with the support of funding from Arts Council England, Libraries Unlimited, Villages in Action and the Devon Wildlife Trust.
Reviews
***** 5 stars
“This is a fantastic course for beginner carvers or more experienced woodcarvers. The tutor, Sarah, was really helpful and had prepared everything to make it easier for us. She explained clearly and demonstrated each step. We were all astonished that we could make these beautiful puppets in just 2 days. I can’t recommend this course highly enough.”***** 5 stars
“We attended a two day marionette carving course with Sarah Vigars. The course was excellent, we learned a lot over the two days, and we came away with two lovely completed bird sculptures which we had carved ourselves. It was a privilege to work with Sarah, she is a very talented puppet maker and an excellent tutor.”Course students from March 2026 at the Orchard Carving Studio, Devon
