PUPPETRY, masks and an original soundtrack will be coming to Worcester when a unique show makes its first appearance in the city at The Arts Workshop.

Inspired by the famous 13th century Mappa Mundi in Hereford Cathedral, this performance features Bunraka puppetry – an 17th century form of Japanese puppetry - masks and an original soundtrack. There is no dialogue in the performance.

The show, called The Cloth of the World, will be on stage in Worcester on Saturday February 28 from 2.30pm and 3.30pm and is suitable for children over six years of age and adults.

It is a journey into a fantastical world of wonder which holds audiences spellbound in with its mystery and adventure featuring stunning puppets, masks, shadow projections and a soundtrack.

Performed by The Fetch Theatre, based in Leominster, the show features mermaids, mandrakes, giant gold-digging ants and monsters.

The Fetch’s amazing puppets are at the heart of this visual tale, which is a funny and moving show illuminating the medieval world for all ages.

The 55-minute performance has been created and is performed by Purvin The Puppetier. Purvin, who originally comes from Hereford and went to Hereford Arts College, said: “I saw the Mappa Mundi hanging on a wall in Hereford Catherdral when I was young and before it became so well known.

“I remember seeing these incredible creatures and characters and it captured my imagination. It is a wonderful artifact and I wanted to celebrate it. What better than puppetry to bring it to life. There is nothing more magical than seeing a puppet.”

Purvin makes all the puppets in the show by hand and also does all the performing in this particular production, which has been performed in Ledbuy and Leominster, goes to Portugal and Prague in May as well as the Alchemy Festival in Lincolnshire in September.

Worcester Arts Workshop administrator Sorcha Cummins: “This is a puppet show without words which is coming to Worcester for the first time. It was created last year and inspired by the map in Hereford Cathedral.”

The performance is tightly choreographed with the rhythms of the music influencing the puppetry, as visual theatre and music weave seamlessly together to create powerful and stunning theatre.

Moving, funny, thought provoking and beautiful, the story transports audiences as they engage with the hand-made puppets and take an emotional journey with them. The puppeteer skilfully animates various spectacular puppets and props in order to create a simple but unforgettable story. This technically simple show has already mesmerised and stimulated audiences.

Anyone who would like to find out more about Bunraka puppetry can go along to a workshop before the performance on Saturday.

Sorcha said the workshop will run from 1 – 2pm and will include an introduction to Bunraka, hands-on learning how to wake up a puppet, learning how to create characters and doing little sketches.

Tickets for the workshop are £3 while the performance costs £4 for children and £6 for adults. Anyone who would like to go along is advised to book in advance by either calling into the Worcester Arts Workshop Cafe Bliss, 21 Sansome Walk, or ringing 01905 25053 between 10am and 3pm. Telephone messages can be left outside those hours.

• Bunraku puppetry was first developed in Japan in the 17th century. It is vastly different from western traditional puppetry. There are no strings as the puppet is attached to the body of the animator who is also not masked from the audience. This physical attachment between puppet and animator creates a unique relationship on stage, turning puppet and performer into one entity.

• By liberating the puppet of its strings and attaching the performer to the puppet, the performer can more easily connect their emotions with the puppet’s actions. This embedded approach has many theatrical benefits and can create unforgettable theatre.

• The simplicity of this style of puppetry can also allow everyone to feel confident about trying to bring a puppet to life. Bunraku puppetry is therefore an excellent tool to use in training and in workshops, as it is accessible to all abilities and ages.

The Fetch Theatre is staging a day-long adult workshop for anyone who wants to learn how to do puppetry in Leominster on March 7. Purvin said people on the workshop will learn how to use a puppet and it is brilliant for teachers, librarians and anyone who wants to be creative.

The workshop takes place on Saturday March 7 at the Forbury Workshop, Leominster, from 10am to 5pm. More information is available by ringing 01544 231579 or by e-mailing info@thefecth.co.uk