Thingumajig Theatre

'Hippochondriac' photo by Ian Hodgson

Thingumajig Theatre is a puppet company who creates and performs innovative visual theatre, interactive giant puppets and outdoor performances. Founded in 2005 by Korean American puppeteer Andrew Kim and British actor/musician Kathy Kim, Thingumajig Theatre is based in Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England.

History

Thingumajig Theatre’s two directors, Andrew Kim and Kathy Kim, first worked together as mask performers in a play by Horse and Bamboo Theatre in 2002. Since then, they’ve worked together as makers, performers and directors for In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Islewilde Festival, Oregon Country Fair, Vancouver’s Public Dreams Society and Taiwan’s Dream Community. In 2005, with their first full-length play, “The Vertigo of Sheep” which was awarded a UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence, they formed into a permanent theatre company.[1]

In 2006 they moved into the old Sunday school room in Wainsgate Chapel in Old Town, West Yorkshire, which served as their workshop for five years. Since 2011, they are now based in the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade workshop.

In 2008, Thingumajig Theatre joined forces with HEADS, a Hebden Bridge participatory arts organisation, and produced the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade, a vivid, non-commercial community-generated parade.[2] This event is now produced by Handmade Parade CIC.

Plays

'Hullaba Lulu' photo by Nigel Hillier

Thingumajig Theatre has created several puppet and mask plays for both children and adults. These plays, written, designed, built and performed by Andrew Kim and Kathy Kim, are notable for their innovative use of imagery and live music.

Plays by Thingumajig Theatre
'The Vertigo of Sheep' 2005
'Want' 2007
'The Mystery of the Sock Snatcher' 2007
'A November Day' 2008
'The Difference Engine' 2009 (Produced by Walk the Plank; written and directed by Thingumajig Theatre)
'Hippochondriac' 2010
'Hullaba Lulu' 2012


Giant Puppets and Community Events

Thingumajig Theatre also creates and performs giant puppets for outdoor events and performances such as parades, pageants and festivals. They have also directed and led several community-generated events such as the Conwy Lantern Parade and Pageant, the Liverpool Halloween Lantern Carnival Finale and the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade.

See also

References

  1. ↑ UNIMA-USA 2006 Citation of Excellence (2006-07)
  2. ↑ Colourful parade is hit with crowds (2008-07-24)

External links

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