Review: Puffling Percy at Tobacco Factory Theatres

Gentle piece of theatre introducing children to the world of birds and puppetry

Children’s show Puffling Percy, is a gentle show about overcoming fears, developing resilience and building friendships.

It’s strongly narrative driven for a piece of children’s theatre, told through puppetry and original song.

Puffling Productions created the show from scratch. It has the energy of a children’s picture storybook, likely through the strong visual design.

It’s an original piece of writing by Tessa Nicholson. Tessa fell in love with puffins when living near to the Mousehole Wild Bird Hospital in Cornwall. Percy himself ends up staying in a bird hospital after mistaking a lighthouse for the moon. The bird facts blended into the story make important talking points with children around animal welfare and the environment.

The show cleverly starts with the house lights up, introducing children to three different types of coastal bird through song. The auditorium was full of adults and children who joined in enthusiastically with singing and bird movement. This made the transition into the show very smooth. It gave wriggling young children that much needed movement break before engaging them with the story.

Puffling Percy tells of a young puffling who must migrate for the winter. Despite all efforts from his parents, Percy will not leave his burrow. He’s nervous about leaving home and flying for the first time. His parents leave Percy behind, hopeful that the puffling will follow the moon and join them.

Percy’s mouse friend Shrimp, helps him to find his way, with adventure – and misadventures – along the way. Of course it’s a happy ever after, in this cheerful and uplifting show.

You can tell the success of a show with its audience when you start hearing those young four year olds bursting with questions about what’s happening on the stage. It means they are engaged and curious.

The puppets were delightful. They were designed and created by Alicia Britt.

During the incoming, tiny little garden birds bobbed on the set. Percy himself looked for all the world like a real puffin. The design behind his parents was very clever, featuring huge handheld beaks with baseball hat eyes to differentiate between puffins and puffling.

As well as puppet mouse Shrimp, a cat puppet delighted both children and adults. You can never go wrong with a cat puppet.

At the end of the show, children were invited onto the stage to meet the puppets and have their photographs taken.

Puffling Percy is a high-quality piece of children’s theatre. As well as the strong stagecraft and performances, it knew about children. About what they need as audience members to engage with storytelling on their level.

It also opened up a world of curiosity around birds, something you don’t see in theatre often. It prompted questions, it entertained and it introduced young children to the art of puppetry in storytelling.

A lovely gentle and uplifting piece of theatre.

For Puffling Productions: https://www.pufflingproductions.org

Cast and Creatives
Percy – Iris Schmidt
Shrimp and Puppetry Desginer –
Bird Lady and Composer/Musician – Harriette Ashcroft
Director – Zannie Fraser
Writer and Co-director – Tessa Nicholson
Set Designer – Amelia Pimlott

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