The Puppet Theatre Barge

The Puppet Theatre Barge has been putting on a programme of unique and magical puppet shows on a converted Thames barge for over thirty years. The audience begin their journey as soon as they step onto the gangplank and climb aboard. They descend below the water line (wellingtons not necessary) and leave the real world behind. Puppets from other parts of the world hang from the walls in retirement. The theatre’s golden curtain is softly lit and banks of seats slope gently to the roof. A ship’s bell is rung, the audience falls silent in anticipation. Music plays, the lights dim, the theatre goes dark and finally the curtain rises to the delight of children and adults alike.

The Facilities. Don’t worry, the Puppet Theatre Barge is not an open-air theatre! It is an indoor venue, with raked seating for over fifty people, and refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits and fruit) served at the interval. We have central heating to warm you in the winter, fans to cool you during those rare hot summer days and even a toilet! The boat does not move during the performance and only rocks very gently if a large boat goes by.

Performances. Shows usually last for just over an hour, sometimes with an interval of around ten minutes half way through for refreshments. It is a proper theatre so the auditorium goes completely dark before the curtain goes up, and the dramatic lighting is just like in a big theatre. We specialise in performances using long-string marionettes; a world of pure puppetry where the puppets are centre stage and the puppeteers (operating from above) are never seen. Our shows have no upper age limit, but we also put on a programme of productions aimed specifically at an adult audience.

Our aims: to promote live animation to give the audience an experience of the imagination to present new music and writing whenever possible to ensure excellence in voice and music recordings to be aware of: the equal importance of every element within a presentation the scale and perspective of light the centre of gravity of the marionette silence and space

Email info@puppetbarge.com Box Office: 020 7249 6876

Editor’s Note: I came across The Puppet Theatre Barge by chance when our boat was moored at Abingdon earlier this year. The Group had received funding to tour The Thames. The Barge is normally moored at Little Venice.

Towpath Walks Group

The Start time for all Walks is 2.30pm. Normal charge: £15. Concessionary and Student rate: £10. Children aged 16 and over, accompanied by parents: £10. Children aged 8 – 15, accompanied by parents: £5. (Children under 8, accompanied by parents, go for free).

Prior booking is mandatory: Please contact London Walks: 020 7624 3978. Or email them at: london@walks.com. It is Very Important to watch the IWA website - www.waterways.org.uk - or the London Walks website – www.walks.com - to see if any late changes to the walk have had to be made. Towpath Walks Group are looking for volunteers to guide small parties of walkers on short walks along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal (and elsewhere). This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways – which most outsiders don’t realise is here! It is also a good way of recruiting new members to IWA. No experience? No problem, we’ll brief you.

Sun 5th Nov: Royal Victoria Dock – East India Dock. Meet Royal Victoria (DLR)(IFS Cloud/Seagull Lane exit)

Sun 19th Nov: Regent’s Canal: R.Tyburn – Little Venice. Meet Baker St (Baker St north/Lords exit)

Sun 3rd Dec: Grosvenor Canal and Battersea Power Station – Meet Victoria (Wilton Street exit, opposite Apollo Victoria Theatre)

Sun 17th Dec: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St. Pancras. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue next to Pret a Manger)

2024

Mon 1st Jan: Regents Canal: Little Venice – Camden. Meet Warwick Avenue.

Sun 7th Jan: Regents Canal: Islington – Kingsland Road. Meet Angel, Islington

Sun 21st Jan: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – Camden. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue next to Pret a Manger)

Sun 4th Feb: Regent’s Canal: Mile End – Limehouse. Meet Mile End

Sun 18th Feb: Grosvenor Canal and Battersea Power Station . Meet Victoria (Wilton Street exit, opposite Apollo Victoria Theatre)

Sun 3rd Mar: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St. Pancras. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue next to Pret a Manger)

Sun 17th Mar: Limehouse – Thames – Docklands. Meet Westferry (DLR)(by Cycle Hire Point)

Sun 31st Mar: Regents Canal: Little Venice – Camden meet Warwick Avenue

Sun 7th Apr: Regents Canal: King’s Cross -Hitchcock’s Hackney – Kings Cross. Meet by Taxi (meet by Taxi Queue next to Pret a Manger

Sun 21st Apr: Royal Victoria Dock – East India Dock. Meet Royal Victoria (DLR)(IFS Cloud/Seagull Lane exit)

Sun 5th May: Regent’s Canal: R.Tyburn – Little Venice. Meet Baker St (Baker St north/Lords exit)

London Region

London Region Socials (Combined with North and East London Branch)

Our IWA London Region Socials, on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, are currently held at the London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, N1 9RT

Future Events

Autumn dates for your diaries – full programme will be on IWA website and will be circulated to all members of IWA London Region.

Tuesday 21st November – tba

Tuesday 19th December – a revival of the Christmas Quiz and Auction. Contributions to the auction gratefully received.

If you would like to be added to my circulation list and are not on the IWA London Region circulation list please email me as below:

Libby Bradshaw libby.bradshaw@ursa.me.uk 07956 655037

South London Branch

South London Branch Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30 for 8:00 pm in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon, CR0 5LP. Admission to talks and presentations is free to members and non-members, but we do ask that you donate a minimum of £2 per person to offset room hire charges and speakers’ expenses, thank you.

A large selection of second hand and pre-loved books are available to buy , and refreshments and homemade cake are available to purchase during the break. For more information please contact the Social Secretary: Shea Richardson. Tel: 07803 904803 or email: shea.richardson@waterways.org.uk

Wed 11th Oct. 7.30pm: Presentation by Kirk Martin on walking on lost Canals entitled “Boots not Boats”

Wed 8th Nov. 7.30pm: Libby Bradshaw is giving us a presentation on a Scottish cruise she did on board the Steam Puffer: Vic 32

Wed 13th Dec. 7.30pm: Our annual Christmas Celebration with Hot Mulled Punch and festive snacks.

Wed 14th Feb 2024. 7.30pm: tba

IWA Festival of Water Pelsall

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) returned to Pelsall this year for the first time since 2016. The charity welcomed visitors to its annual Festival of Water which was held at Pelsall North Common over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The event attracted many hundreds of visitors throughout the weekend and was especially popular amongst families. Children enjoyed a range of activities –from having a go at driving a digger to testing their skills in the Arena with Giant Jenga, Connect 4, football and tug of war! Visitors didn’t go hungry, with an incredible choice of food and refreshments available including stone-baked pizzas, gourmet burgers, Caribbean street food and ice cream. Plenty of traders attended the festival, with numerous stalls selling everything from toys and books to marine engine parts, pet portraits, jams, chutneys, cookies and even bonsai trees. There were a number of charity stalls too with many promoting specific restoration projects in the local area and beyond including the Birmingham Canal Navigation Society (BCNS), Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT), and the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. The bar served a fantastic choice of beverages including ciders and ales. Trade was steady throughout the weekend and was spurred on by a good turnout for the Open Mic Variety Show and a superb programme of entertainment. There was never a dull moment in the Entertainments Marquee where local artistes and festival favourites performed including Miles & Margaret, The Buskateers, and Reflections.

Over 70 boats - from traditional working boats to modern narrowboats - all adorned with bunting, banners and flags - were moored on the Wyrley and Essington Canal in Pelsall. The variety and sheer volume of boats attracted a great deal of interest while the static Illuminated Boat Display proved very popular as festivalgoers enjoyed strolling along the towpath on Sunday evening to admire the vibrant spectacle.

Councillor Chris Towe, Mayor of Walsall, opened the festival on Saturday, saying how delighted he was to open the event and thanked IWA for returning to Pelsall, remarking “what better a location than the Wyrley and Essington Canal”. The Mayor went on to explain how the canal is a valuable asset to the local community, having been there for 230 years.

Wendy Morton, MP for AldridgeBrownhills, also attended the Opening Ceremony. She welcomed everybody to Pelsall and hoped that they would have a great time as visitors did back when the event took place in 2016. She continued, “I know how important our canals are to us, not just in Pelsall and in Walsall but right across the Black Country and the West Midlands. Once a key part of our industrial heritage, they are now part of our local communities. We see them playing a part in the restoration of many of our local towns as well.”

Later on in the weekend, Jane Elwell, Chair of the organising committee, said: "We have between 70 and 80 boats here, all of whom have booked to come to the festival, including eight boat traders. There are also about 60 camping pitches. It has been a successful event. I think there would have been bigger crowds if the weather had stayed fine but that's always the problem."

At the Awards Ceremony on Monday afternoon four awards were presented: Best picture coloured by a child aged 4 – 8 years was awarded to Alice, and in the 913 years category it was awarded to Issy Patrick.

IWA Chesham Head Office Staff

Head of Operations (FT): Ross Field ext 602

Administration Manager (PT): Tracy Higgin ext 601

Volunteer Manager (FT): Jenny Hodson (07531 004531) ext 605

Membership Assistant (PT): Rachel Bryant ext 600

Administration Assistant (PT): Kelly Gascoine ext 615