String Theatre (United Kingdom)

The magical world of The Insect Circus invites the audience to forget reality and become immersed in the strange and beautiful world of insects. Beetles and grasshoppers, wasps and dragonflies, demonstrate their dexterity with great skill and humour. 

Presented using marionettes and specially commissioned music, the show breathes new life into the traditional techniques used in Victorian trick marionettes.

Awards

-Drac d'Or, Fira De Titelles de Lleida, Spain, 2022.

-Special mention for gracefulness and technical skills, Immagina Festival, Rome, Italy, 2022.

-Harlequin Award, British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, 2017.

-Award for manipulation, aesthetics and technical solutions, Lut Fest Festival, Bosnia, 2015.

-Award for manipulation, Zlatna Iskra Festival, Serbia, 2012.

^{"Beautiful, Truth, Imaginary in the art of puppet theatre – The Insect Circus by String Theatre.}

^{Outstanding performance with classic short string puppetry (…). The Insect Circus is a gem show, a demonstration of mastery in the art of puppet manipulation. A performance that overturns prejudices related to this type of theatre, but also a sample of good practice, an example of how the tenderness and clumsiness of these irresistible actors on strings can be enhanced" - Anca Ciofu, Theatrical Colloquia}

^{"The Insect Circus / String Theatre Company (London) Our opinion: very good
This proposal with Victorian puppets, where you can't see who's manipulating them, presents each constructed character: the ant, the dragonfly, the crickets, the beetle, the caterpillars, with their possibilities of movement, with humour and surprises (...). There are micro-stories as small as insects. And they have such a high level of perfection that it's hard to imagine unless you see them live." - Mónica Berman, La Nacion}

^{"it’s a joy, as an adult, to watch each circus act presented with extraordinary artistry. The craftsmanship of each insect was beautiful and the commissioned music score perfectly accentuated and complimented each act. Keeping the attention span of the little ones was aided by a sense of comedy and whimsy that was woven into the show. Our four year old was entranced by the action and continued to explain to his mum what all the insects were and what they were doing. (…). A fun family show."} 

^{- Louise Mason, Theatre Now}

BIO

Based in London, String Theatre was founded in 2011 by puppeteers Stan Middleton and Soledad Zárate.

It presents live performances using long-string wood-carved marionettes on a custom-built touring stage. 

Stan Middleton is the third generation marionettist from the Puppet Theatre Barge, one of the UK’s most unique theatre venues, a 50 seat theatre inside a converted barge. Soledad Zarate trained in Stan’s family theatre in 2007.

They receive regular support from Arts Council England and have several productions in their repertoire: The Red Ballon, The Insect Circus, The Water Babies, The Crow's Tale, A Water Journey, Lottie, The Travelling Doll.

The company tours its productions in festivals and theatres around the world, from the Sydney Festival 2023 to their regular presentation at the London Mime Festival.

_{FICHA ARTÍSTICA}

_{Direction: Rob Humphreys Puppeteers: Stan Middleton, Soledad Zárate Sound score: Josh Middleton Set design: Stan Middleton Puppets: Sarah Fitzpatrick, Stan Middleton, Soledad Zárate
www.stringtheatre.co.uk}