AN INTERNATIONAL arts festival has pulled some strings to help bring together different communities from across Weymouth and Portland through puppet making.
Inside Out Dorset, produced by Activate, is an international outdoor arts festival that takes place across the county every two years. The event was due to take place last year in 2020 but was cancelled due to Covid and organisers are now commissioning and presenting a range of UK and European artists for the event in September.
The festival's final weekend closes in Weymouth on September 24 and 25 with the after-dark parade show Sense of Unity which will make its way through the town led by the drummers of Worldbeaters playing a soundtrack inspired by world rhythms and the West African kora.
In anticipation of the finale, Activate hosted a series of twelve workshops across Weymouth and Portland this month which gave residents an opportunity to try their hand at making puppets to represent their communities and then put them into action by creating their own puppet theatre scenes.
Workshops were held at Weymouth College, Weymouth Rugby Club and the Kimerlin Club on Portland, Top Club, Chapelhay Community Play Garden and Weymouth Library.
More than 100 of the puppets made are now on display in shops all over Weymouth and Portland.
Caroline Suri, Activate producer of Theatre, Education & Engagement said: “They are absolutely amazing. We had no idea what to expect and were delighted that so many people took part and put such a lot of effort into making the puppets and building our own sense of unity.
“We had family groups, young children, teenagers, mums and dads, and grandparents – and there were no rules, everyone could make what they wanted.”
Expert puppet maker Holly Miller from the Lyric Theatre in Bridport led the sessions giving each participant a materials pack and providing guidance to realise their designs. After the making she led drama sessions to encourage the makers to put their puppets into action.
Ms Suri added: “Holly was incredible. She is used to working across a range of ages and the people we met were so keen to learn. Every single puppet that was made at the workshops has been borrowed from the maker and is now on display, it’s like we made a little village!
“We wanted to make a link between Sense of Unity and the sense of community in Weymouth and Portland, to help bring people together after we’ve all been kept apart for such a long time. We provided hot meals on many of the sessions and worked with the town council to reach out to under-represented communities.”
Opening on September 17 Inside Out Dorset brings international arts to five locations over two weekends across the county including, Moors Valley Country Park & Forest, lower High Street and Quay in Poole, The Quomps in Christchurch, Symondsbury Estate and Weymouth.
The puppets are on display at: Weymouth College, Community Front Room, Friths Opticians, Dream Cottages, SMB Hair, Victoria Ann Bridal, Fox & Sons, Elliot & Co LLP, The Nail Show, and Weymouth Library.
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