How to Structure, Develop & Build a Narrative With Emma Williams

Join us at Puppet Place for this two-day workshop on Saturday 12 April and Sunday 13 April 2025, from 10am-4pm on both days.

What will people learn and come away with?

Participants will come away with a selection of practical processes that can be used to build narratives from a range of starting points including images/themes/adaptations of stories.

We will look at practically:

• The rules of a basic story structure.
• How to investigate an idea that can help create and frame material.
• What rules and guidance can be used when working without a linear narrative.

Participants will also have an opportunity ( if they wish ) to share their own specific creative project. The workshop will not provide all the solutions but Emma’s intention is for participants to come away with the confidence and excitement to proceed with a project and some basic tools to develop it further.

Please Note: Because of the practical nature of the workshop it can only proceed with a minimum of eight participants. We will notify ticket holders in advance if the workshop can’t take place.

Day 1
Over the course of Day 1 We will focus on two puppetry productions exploring the different techniques I used in each show to develop the ideas

Morning – Pinocchio

We will look at adaptations of existing stories and the fundamental rules of simple narratives. Participants will then have the opportunity to create and explore practically key scenes from Pinocchio asking, how does this drive the story.

Early afternoon – Big Boys Don’t Cry

Looking at what happens when the starting point is an idea rather than a story. I will outline the questions that helped create the material and the structure for the production Big Boys Don’t Cry. I will run with the participants’ examples of practical exercise and games that were useful.

Late afternoon

Participants will, working in groups, create visual material from a selection of the questions mentioned earlier in the afternoon and we will share the results as a group.

Day 2

Day 2 will be bespoke to the ideas and starting points that participants have brought with them.

Morning – looking at ideas that have narratives already in place and how to adapt those for puppetry.

Afternoon – looking at ideas that have a looser structure or no structure at all and exploring what kind of frame can hold the material.

About the Tutor: Emma Williams

Emma is a writer and theatre director with over twenty years’ experience. She creates performances for diverse audiences working collaboratively across art forms. Her roles range from Director, facilitator dramaturge and writer. She has regular co-created shows with: Opposable thumbs (“Big Boys Don’t Cry“), Pickled Image (“Wolf Tales”, “Shop of Little Horrors“, and “Woodland Tales”), Green Ginger (“Intronauts”), and Vic Llewelyn & Kid Carpet (“The Castle Builder“ and “A Little Death”). Touring productions include “Baba’s Song” by In Our Hands and “We are Lightning” by Sam Halmarack and Joseph O’Farrell. She has directed in house productions for The Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bath Theatre Royal, and The Bristol Old Vic. She has developed outdoor performances for Activate, Strike A light, Cheltenham Literary Festival, Dorset Wildlife Trust and National Theatre of Wales. She recently directed the two-month sell out production “MDH: Puppets do a Movie” at the Wardrobe Theatre.

Photo above – Emma Williams (Credit Jack Offord)

ACCESSIBILITY: The Rehearsal Studio, where the workshop takes place, itself is accessible as it’s on the ground floor and has double door access with a small ramp. However, the toilet facilities aren’t wheelchair accessible as the two doorways to get in to it are standard width, which is 762mm (30in), or 2ft 6in. It’s on the ground floor within the Rehearsal Studio so no steps involved. To find out more about accessibility we have made this short video tour – https://youtu.be/ElWrEa09v-8