Following their support of our initial R&D period, we are very pleased to have been awarded funding by Arts Council England to further support the full development of the show.

Delighted to have been successful in our application for a Wellcome Trust Small Arts award. This will support both the creation of the show as well as meetings with medical and scientific advisors and a series of related events (post-show discussions and Performing the Freak – A Dialogue between Theatre and Science about Monstrosity), an 8 page programme with information about the research and scientific collaboration underpinning the show, and a project website.

Wattle & Daub Figure Theatre are very pleased to announce that we will be one of 5 Associate Artists working with Tobacco Factory Theatres over 2014-15. Further information here.

Click here to read

An excerpt:

“Somehow this company, with a devising period of three weeks, have created magic through the careful concoction of puppetry and opera. The gruesome becomes fascinating, the disgusting becomes acceptable, the foul is humorous and the desperate is mesmerising, almost enchanting. In choosing this particular theme of human appetite, Wattle and Daub push the capacity of the puppets – playing with their ability to represent real, visceral human beings whilst continuing to acknowledge the fact that they are only puppets – a caricature, an idea.”
– Geraldine Harris

We now have a short promo featuring music and images from the show. Enjoy!

The Depraved Appetite of Tarrare the Freak
a chamber opera for puppets
by Wattle & Daub Figure Theatre

Appearing as a work-in-progress extract at Bristol Ferment
Thursday 19 July, 6:30pm at Bristol Old Vic

Created in collaboration with Hattie Naylor
Music and Libretto by Tom and Tobi Poster
Devised by the company and directed by Laura Purcell Gates

Performed by Tobi Poster and Aya Nakamura
Vocals by Francesca Best and Michael Longden
Supported by Bristol Ferment and Arts Council England

Photography and promo by Farrows Creative