Hopeful Monsters

Hopeful Monsters is a piece of visual tabletop theatre: our debut show. From simple organisms to giant beasts, this is a story of evolution told entirely with hands.    

“Hopeful Monster brings to life a surrealist fauna of creatures. A poetic, innovative and incredibly bright show” - Puppet Animation Scotland

Combining visual theatre, an original soundtrack and puppetry Hopeful Monsters is a playful exploration of all living things being made of the same fundamental building blocks. Constantly shifting and changing, human hands move and morph in unusual ways, creating unexpected creatures as we journey through water, earth and air. It’s a story of survival and struggle, of connection and transformation. A reminder of the playfulness of living. After all, we humans are animals too.    

"The hands moved with such flow and unity that I quickly forgot that they were attached to three performers.” -Young Perspective

In 2021, the theatre show was adapted into film using Creative Scotland funding which is available for screenings. The live performance was developed with the support of Moving Parts Scratch Space, Outside Eyes at Tron Theatre Glasgow and  Curious School of Puppetry. With thanks to Siân Kidd, Yvan Karlsson, Edie Edmondson, Kate Powell, Stanley Middleton and Iestyn Evans.   See a list of festivals and venues we have performed at since the premiere in 2018.
Running time
40 mins
Age
adults & children 6 +
Music
Michael Hyland
Photos
Mihaela Bodlovic & Nik Palmer
GALLERY

“The simple joy of discovery, the elegance of taking simple components and taking us on a fabulous transforming adventure. I love the moments where your brain bounces between recognising that you’re watching a wiggling finger but simultaneously being completely absorbed in the survival struggles of an independent little creature. Perhaps above all else, I loved the shows playfulness. There is such a joy to be had in becoming absorbed in play.”
– Philip Millar, Associate Creative Director, Creature Technology Co.

Previously Presented at:

Titirimundi Festival (Sergovia, Spain)
Spinrag Festival (Kortrijk, Belgium)
Lutke Festival (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Festival Découvertes, Images et Marionnettes (Tournai, Belgium)
Festival Mondial des Teatres de Marionettes (22nd edition, Charleville-Mezieres, France)
Cumbernauld Theatre at Lanterhouse (Cumbernauld, Scotland, UK)
Espacio Abierto Quinta de los Molinos (Madrid, Spain)
Byker Best Summer Ever, Northern Stage (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
Curious Puppets Festival, Rosemary Branch Theatre (London, UK)
Carthage Puppetry Days Festival (Tunis, Tunisia)
International Festival for Young Audiences (Iasi, Romania)
Part of the summer programme at The Space (Isle of Dogs, London, UK)
Materia Magica Festival (Klaipeda, Lithuania)
Moving Parts, Newcastle Puppetry Festival (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
VAULT Festival, Horse and Stables (London, UK)
Manipulate Festival, Traverse Theatre and Horsecross (Edinburgh and Perth, UK)
World On A String Festival (Melbourne, Australia)
Festival De Marionettes – Samildanach (Le Poet Laval, France)
Shambala Festival, Puppet Parlour (Northamptonshire, UK)
Planet Cheek (London, UK)
Premiere at Beverley Puppet Festival, (Beverley, UK)
Work-in-progress sharing at Outside Eyes, Tron Theatre (Glasgow, UK)
Work-in-progress sharing at Skipton Puppet Festival (Skipton, UK)