Monkstown International Puppet Festival – Building on the legacy of Monkstown as the spiritual home of puppetry in Ireland, the inaugural MIPF will showcase the world of puppetry from both Ireland and abroad. MIPF will be hosted in the famous streets and venues of Monkstown in South County Dublin, and will offer a wide range of family and adult themed performances, events, & workshops.

Performers & Schedule

Karromato – MIPF are delighted to welcome Karromato and their Wooden Circus from the Czech Republic. Acrobats! Exotic animals! Clowns! A circus full of imagination, energy, perfect timing, and surprises. The show dazzles with secret special effects from classic 19^th century European marionette theatre. Beautiful wooden marionettes and traditional music will take you back in time to the golden age of puppetry. Karromato are presented in conjunction with the Czech Embassy.
3.30pm – Monkstown Parish Church. Tickets: €9.00 | €13.20.

Animism – Animism, in association with IADT, present Bronagh agus an Bean Sidhe. A tale of the Irish legend of the banshee told through different perspectives. Using bunraku puppeteering and staged in the amazing setting of Monkstown Church of Ireland. Animism will premier this production at MIPF 2019. Presented at FRINGE FUSE with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival.
5.00pm- Monkstown Parish Church. Tickets: €9.00 | €13.20.

Kettle Fish – Kettle Fish will perform Power Embodied, a 30-minute street spectacular at dusk in the village square which we will close off to traffic. Power Embodied will bring to life the ultimate symbols of power – the Yin and the Yang, the masculine and the feminine, light and dark – and the balance between them. The production, supported by IADT, aims to create a larger than life visualisation of these primeval Gods.
7.00pm – Village Square. FREE.

Hot Water Bottle Theatre Company – Make a wish and transport yourself into another world with Good Morning Mr Moon. A tale of desperation, transformation and unwitting power told through tricks, illusions, light, music and puppets. Proudly brought to you by Hot Water Bottle Theatre Company, in association with IADT and Monkstown International Puppet Festival. Presented at FRINGE FUSE with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival.
1.00pm / 2.30pm / 4.00pm / 5.30pm – Knox Hall. Tickets: €9.00 | €13.20

Wanderly Wagon – Icon of the Irish psyche, we've tracked down the original Wanderly Wagon which will be in the village for the day. Rumour has it Judge may even make an appearance!
12.00pm – 10.00pm – Village Square. FREE.

Lambert Puppet Theatre – A puppet festival in Monkstown would not be complete without Lambert Puppet Theatre who will perform a one-off show in the village. The Lambert Family are what make Monkstown the spiritual home of puppetry in Ireland. With the recent closing of the theatre, this will be an emotional and rare appearance by some of our favourite puppets.
2.00pm – Monkstown Parish Church. Tickets: €9.00 | €13.20

Punch & Judy Show – A firm family favourite, we will be hosting 3 free traditional Punch & Judy shows and other entertainment; two in the village square and one in Elephant & Castle. If you are thinking of going to the show in Elephant & Castle, make sure you arrive early as places are limited!
1.00pm / 4.30pm – Village Square
3.00pm – Elephant & Castle. FREE.

Fur City – Fur City is an improvised soap opera… with puppets! Completely made up on the spot based on audience suggestions, this hilarious soap parody features some of Ireland's most talented comedy performers and a cast of puppet pals. When a group of unemployed puppets contacted Shaffey (Kelly Shatter and Dave Coffey) in search of work, Shaffey decided to cast them in an improvised soap opera. To round out the cast, Kelly and Dave called up some of the best comedy performers around: Luke Benson, Tony Cantwell and Pearl O'Rourke. Fur City was born!
9.00pm – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Tickets: €16.50.

Louise Gold – Louise is an English master puppeteer, actress and singer whose career has spanned more than four decades. She is best known for her work as a puppeteer on television and for roles in musical theatre in the West End. Louise trained as an actor at Arts Educational School but very early in her career she got a job with Jim Henson as one of the Muppet Performers on The Muppet Show (filmed at Elstree Studios).
3.00pm Workshop – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Application Only – [email protected]: €15.00.
8.00pm Talk – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Tickets: €16.50.

Nigel Plaskitt – Nigel is an English actor, puppeteer, producer, and both stage and television director. His voice and puppetry talents have appeared on television shows such as Pipkins, Spitting Image and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet. He has also contributed to films such as Muppet Treasure Island, Labyrinth and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
3.00pm Workshop – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Application Only –  [email protected]: €15.00.
8.00pm Talk – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. TICKETED EVENT

Muttr Muttr – Muttr Mutrr productions will be popping up in your favourite Monkstown bars and restaurants with their very own portable puppet show during the day.
Various times and venues. FREE.

Festival Club
Workshops in the afternoon by Nigel Plaskitt, Louise Gold and others.
3.00pm Workshop – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Application Only – [email protected]: €15.00.

An evening talk with Nigel Plaskitt and Louise Gold, performance by Fur City, and lots of other surprises on the night. Over 18s event.
8.00pm Talk – Festival Club, The Purty Kitchen. Tickets €16.50.

Workshop spaces are strictly limited, cost €15 per person and are available by application only to [email protected]. When applying to MIPF please tell a little bit about your interest in puppets.