The Moving Words project was devised to explore the ways in which the contemporary art form of puppetry can collaborate with new writing for performance. What happens when the puppeteer and writer are placed at the heart of the creative process? How do the these forms interact? How can puppetry inform new writing and vice versa?

The project commissioned four artists to explore these questions and to create two new shorts for performance on the eminent new writing stage of Soho Theatre. More than fifty applications were received from around the country for and were assessed and the artists matched by a Panel expert in the development of new work including John Wright of ‘Told by an Idiot’; Nina Steiger, Head of Soho Writers Centre and Steve Tiplady Associate Director of the Little Angel Theatre. The project supported four months of exploration; two large-scale workshops; mentoring by a Panel of experienced puppetry and writing artists; two months of making and eight day’s rehearsal; bringing together more than forty artists to participate in the project.

These pages archive the outcomes of the Moving Words commissions – housing scripts and production photos, video material (coming soon) and personal accounts. Within each of the show pages above you will find full details on the work of one commissioned puppeteer/writer pair. The >Workshops pages hold an outline of one of our workshops and images of the sessions and >Project Roundup contains extracts from PCT’s evaluation of the project and recommendations for the future.

But these are living archives; the scripts may continue to evolve - perhaps you could be the one to take them further? – and the emphasis on our accounts of the project is to provide you with starting points and provocations for your own work. Please take some time to explore and do let us know if you need any further information on any of the work outlined here pct@puppetcentre.demon.co.uk. Moving Words was designed as an initial exploration to whet appetites and stimulate possibilities – now see where Moving Words can move you!

The project was supported by the Esmée Fairbairn foundation and initiated and organised by PCT with additional support from Soho Theatre.