Puppets can add a layer of fun and colour to a storytelling performance, but when and how should they be used? When do they enter? When do they exit? How do you relate to the puppet without losing the thread of the story?

This playful and practical workshop touches on some of the basic skills of puppeteering, but focuses mainly on how a puppet and a solo storyteller relate to each other, and the audience.

Participants will make *very simple* paper puppets to use in a series of practical exercises. We will use these to explore different ways that puppets can add to a storytelling performance. If you have a puppet you are longing to practice with, you can bring it along too.

Jill Webster shares her love of story with children and adults through dynamic, theatrical performances and hands-on workshops. She can tell tall tales on stilts at festivals, tiny tales with a gaggle of puppets, or simple stories straight from her heart to yours. She enjoys bringing the magic of story into classrooms and cafes, fairs and festivals, and has now moved to sharing the joy with online audiences!

Jill is an experienced storyteller and facilitator, having worked throughout Scotland as a directory member of the Scottish Storytelling Centre and now as an accredited member of Australian Storytellers NSW. australianstorytellers.org.au/events

Contact the host of The Playful Storyteller’s Guide to Puppetry