Come join us at Skipton International Puppet Festival 2025! Skipton based and loved Lempen Puppet Theatre Company return with their new production “The Squabble”. A sensory theatre experience aimed at young children aged 3-7 years old.

Set in a sand pit, the drama is played out sensitively and skillfully with two hands. The hands are simply and expressively hands and also become both creatures and emotional characters.

The story is a universal one of life, of meeting new friends, of sharing the space, of conflict, and eventually reconciliation, love and peace.

Two hands meet, play, quarrel and reconcile. What could be simpler?
Life told and summarised with two hands. The puppet and the theatre in the most simple of settings.

The show begins with assembling and preparing the audience, with calm music and sensory sounds. We use the ‘Hang drum’, which is played with the hand. When the children are ready, we enter the performing area in small groups following hand shape prints on the floor.

The play begins and lasts approximately 30 minutes. It is told without words, with pictures, movement, lighting and sound effects, small pieces of music and the sound of the sea. After the performance the children are invited to explore a number of sensory boxes and activities. Continuing the theme of the show, they must take it in turns and share these activities peacefully.