News

August 2010

A good collection of shows to do in Libraries and at various events, but probably my least busy August for several years. So I am making the most of it and having a bit of a holiday while the opportunity is there. The autum is already filling up and will include performing at festivals in Austria and Germany.

July 2010

More than twenty shows this month in a variety of venues, including the Royal Grammar School in Worcester, Birmingham Central Libary, Sanders Park Bromsgrove, and The Museum of Cannock Chase. A particular highlight has been peformering at Horse and Bamboo Festival in Rosendale Lancashire with Mr Punch. Indeed the majority of work this month has been with Punch and Judy, which seems to be at least as popular as ever. This month has also seen the culmination of the research and development stage of Dragon of Krakow which I have been working on with Martin Bridle from Hand to Mouth Theatre in Southampton and my regular co-worker Jim Duncombe. We performed it as a work in progress to two groups of local school children at the Newhampton Arts Centre in Wolverhampton. It seemed to go down really well the audience and we were very pleased with it ourselves. We now have to make plans for developing the project further.

June 2010

Good to see that the show I helped Language Alive to develop (Little Red Hen) seems to be a big hit as it tours Birmingham Schools. I am currently directing my new show - Dragon of Krakow, which will preview in early July

Late May 2010

Had an excellent time in Hungary performing in Tizaalpaar
at the Mikro festival. In Italy I entertained large crowds of school children in Vigevano, and had great fun in the main square of Pavia where the organisers described my show as a 'great success'

May 2010

Returning from Hungary to contine working at the Museum of Cannock Chase and with Language Alive. Also performing at primary schools in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Visiting the May Fayre in London's Covent garden where I expect to perform. Taking Mr Punch to perform in Italy for the Segnali Festival near Milan.

April 2010

Starting work with Language Alive in Birmingham as a consultant artist. Helping them develop the use of puppetry in their new show - Little Red Hen. Visiting Ash End Children's Farm once again with my Punch and Judy Show. Fitting out my new studio space with blackout curtains. Starting work on my new show for PuppetLink - The Dragon of Krakow. The start of a new season with the Museum of Cannock Chase, performing as part of their award winning Toys and Games tours. Visiting the town of tisaalpar in Hungary for a Mikro Festival organised by my old friend Andras Lenart, where I will perform. Also calling in at Ciroka Theatre in Keckskemet to visit old friends and see their latest work.

March 2010

A dozen or so shows in local schools, a trip to schools in Surrey, puppet making workshops in Stroud, and a Punch and Judy show for a Wedding Reception. Also started to work with Language Alive on Little Red Hen - am working as director of puppetry, and developing a new project with Martin Bridle of Hand to Mouth Theatre company based on the Polish Legend - The Dragon of Krakow. We hope tour this extensively later in the year. On top of all this Clive will be attending a meeting of UK puppet festivals, and a meeting of The Punch and Judy Fellowship. Also negotiating the use of dedicated studio space for storage, making and the development of new work. Laying plans for a trip to a puppet festival in Hungary in April and May.

February 2010

A return visit to Shaw Hill School for 3 days of Shadow Puppets on the the theme of Romans, a visit to Acorns Children's Hospice, an appearance at Birmingham Central Library as part of Gigglefest, and Churchdown Libary in Gloucester with Pinocchio

January 2010

Plenty of school shows, a family puppet making workshop for the Quakers, and 12 shows for the Museum of Cannock Chase

December 2009

A busy month with some thirty shows in Schools and Museums and Victorian festivals...

November 2009

The trip to Milan was a big success according to the organisers and it was great to see that nearly 300 people turned up to see my Punch and Judy Show as a ticketed event. Always a bit of challenge when the audience don't speak the same language but the basic nonsense of Punch doesn't really need translation. There is talk of a return visit for a street festival in May....

On the 28/29 I will be with my giant puppet Brother Sid at Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre

October 2009

Clive is getting ready for a trip to Milan,Italy with his puppets in November

September 2009

Clive has just returned from a trip overseas with Mr Punch. He performed at a festival in the town of Banska Bystrica in Slovakia alongside other well known puppeteers from across Europe. After that he visited the Ciroka Theatre company in Kecskemet, Hungary, where he has good connections and then went down to Croatia where his giant puppets danced around in Istria. Soon he will be performing with his street theatre act - the Rickshaw at the Skipton Puppet Festival, England. His next overseas trip will be to a festival in Milan at the start of November.

Clive Chandler is working on Dynamics 09 - the biggest puppet festival in England. Thanks to a substantial grant of nearly £70,000 from Arts Council England to PuppetLink, it will be possible to continue the success of the two previous festivals in 2005 and 2007 which Clive also worked on. Performances and other activities will take place across the West Midlands in May, June and July. To visit the dynamics website click (here)

He is looking forward to working in Spring 09 with Hanyong Theatre Company, delivering a puppet workshop programme in a Birmingham school in association with PuppetLink alongside Lee Deong Gyu from South Korea.