A Bee-rilliant Adventure!

Join Billy Bumble as he shrinks down to bee-size and learns about the troubles that they face. Featuring spell-binding puppetry and a giant honeycomb set, join us for a whirlwind ride, avoiding grumpy Mr Fred and the gaping jaws of Shredder the dog! Buzz finishes with the audience being given wildflower seeds, to plant and help our black and yellow friends to flourish.

Created by award-winning puppetry and theatre company, Smoking Apples.

Co-commissioned by Applause Touring and Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival. Supported by Kent County Council.

Photo by Leyla Guler

Audience/Venue Comments

“What a fantastic series of shows! The children really loved it, was great to hear so much laughter. Thank you for making our final day so magical” – From performances at Bees and Seas Festival

“It was great to have Buzz as part of this year’s festival. Once again you have a fabulous show that the audiences love. At one point there were 500 people watching you perform which is fantastic. You’ll need a bigger venue next time!” – Alison Bundy, TWPF

British Sign Language and Access

In Summer 2024 we worked with two fabulous BSL interpreters at our National Trust performances, Emma and Monike, and we are pleased to now be able to offer BSL interpreted shows to venues and programmers when booking the show. In addition, we have our Buzz Visual Story, and a tour-able chill out space: complete with ear defenders and fidget toys.

Photos of Buzz performers with BSL interpreters (left) Emma Isted and (right) Monike Campbell

About

Buzz was originally planned for 2020 but with the pandemic restricting our activity, we used that year to script and design the show. In Summer 2021, we finally brought the show to life. Inspired by our love of nature and the outdoors, Buzz is the second family outdoor show we have made.

The shows includes a playful look at scale (think micro-scale for major fun) and some light-hearted audience engagement, giving the audience a chance to see things from a Bees-eye-view.

Featuring a blend of puppetry (large-scale and tabletop), captivating music and bright, colourful visuals, Buzz is a chance for families to learn about the importance of Bees in our ecosystem and what we can all do, at home, to help them thrive.

If you’d like to book Buzz for your event, please contact Matt on matt@smokingapplestheatre.com