Follow Arbor as he strides around the streets, vanishing between trees and emerging with his cart full of tree seeds. Arbor tells the story of a tree pushed from his home and his fight to preserve his future. Encouraging the audience to plant and nurture their own trees, Arbor will give each person some seeds to take home, leaving a legacy that will last for generations. Arbor is a visually stunning show with lots of lovable puppets.
“It was a really nice touch that they hand out saplings to children at the end, it gives them something sustainable and environmental to think about.” – Derby Telegraph
Cast and Creatives
Cast: Matt Lloyd, George Bellamy, Hattie Thomas, Molly Freeman, Luke Breen & Lydia Markham
Puppet & set design and make: Matt Lloyd and Hattie Thomas Assistant puppet maker: Lydia Markham Script: George Bellamy Music: Jon Ouin
About
Arbor, the puppet, was originally created as a commission for Derby Festé, in 2017. Striding spectacularly across towns, parks and the countryside, he has become a beloved favourite at outdoor events, across the UK. The original creative idea, for Arbor, came from our associate artist, George Bellamy and it was his love of nature, combined with our common love of puppetry, that inspired the creation of this puppet. Celebrating British and Indian traditions, we have brought together the ancient British, Green Man symbol, the Indian festival, Van Mahostav (Festival of Trees) and the best of British Folklore in this family friendly character.
If you’d like to book Arbor for your event, please contact Matt on matt@smokingapplestheatre.com
If you’d like to book one of our outdoor shows for 2024, please email matt@smokingapplestheatre.com
Past Performance Dates
2022
2 June – Jubilee Celebrations, Purley on Thames 4 June – Wildwood Rumpus, Cambridge 18 June – Live & Local, Quorn, Leicestershire 25 June –Wealden Literature Festival, Woodchurch 26 June – Festival of Leisure, Derbyshire 11 Aug –Brewhouse on Tour, Mill Hill Park, Tutbury 12 Aug – Amphitheatre at Berry Bank Park 13 Aug – Hindhead Commons, National Trust 17 Aug – Cornerstone, Didcot 20 Aug – Box Hill, National Trust 3 Sep – Rollright Stones, Chipping Norton Theatre 10 & 11 Sep – Woodfest & Country Fair, Faversham 17 & 18 Sep – Derbyshire Woodland Festival 30 Oct – Oxford Botanical Gardens
2021
28 May – Moulsecoomb Primary School, Lewes 30 May – Art About Town, Lincoln 31 May – Bognor Regis Puppet Festival, Bognor Regis 13 June – Ditching Arts & Craft Museum 3 July – Chelmsford Festival 10 & 11 July – IYAF, Kingston 24 July – Battle Abbey, Kent 25 July – Eastbourne’s Summer Sundae Weekender 31 July – Whitchurch Children’s Festival 3 Aug – Chiltern Open Air Museum 7 & 8 Aug – Didcot Garden Party, Didcot 27 Aug – Houghton Hall Park, Bedford 28 Aug – Thorington Theatre in the Woods, Suffolk 4 Sep – Fort Gardens, Gravesend 11 & 12 Sep – Woodfest & Country Fair, Faversham 19 Sept – Derbyshire Woodland Festival 2021
2020
28 & 29 Aug – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury 31 Aug – Little Angel Theatre Puppet Picnic, Islington
2019
25 May – Unfest, Tunbridge Wells 26 May – Elderflower Fields, Pippingford Park, East Sussex 8 June – Little Gate Big Festival, Beckley 16 June – Sussex Day, Crowborough 29 & 30 June – Festival of Leisure, Derbyshire 7 July – Uckfield Festival, Uckfield 13 July – West Chiltington Village Show, West Sussex 20 & 21 July – Create Music Festival, Ashford 27 July – Folkestone Puppetry Festival 10 Aug – Art in the Park, Sittingbourne 11 Aug – Hayle Park Nature Reserve, Maidstone 17 Aug – Slough Allotments Horticultural Festival 25 Aug – Sandwich Food Fayre, Sandwich 21 & 22 Sep – Derbyshire Woodland Festival, Elvaston 6 Oct – Tonbridge School, Tonbridge 12 Oct – Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival
2018
2 & 3 Aug – Play Fest, Truro 29 Aug – Trebah Gardens, Falmouth 22 & 23 Sep – Derbyshire Woodland Festival
