Spring Onion Puppet Theatre - A Life with Puppets
Sunday 22nd - Saturday 28th February 2026
A Life with Puppets: Rediscovering Spring Onion Puppet Theatre
A rare and heartfelt exhibition celebrating the work of master puppeteer John Wilson
British UNIMA is delighted to share news of a special exhibition honouring the life and work of John Wilson, founder of Spring Onion Puppet Theatre.
📅 Sunday 22nd – Saturday 28th February 2026
🕙 Open daily, 10:00 – 17:00
Birdwood House, 44 High Street Totnes TQ9 5SG
📧 Contact: cariadastles@gmail.com
This unique exhibition brings back into view a body of work not seen since John’s sudden passing in 2013. A master puppeteer and dedicated artist, John founded Spring Onion Puppet Theatre in the early 1990s and spent his life creating imaginative, engaging performances for audiences across Europe.
Having lived and worked in London, Galway, Totnes, and Ferrara, John’s practice was deeply shaped by travel, collaboration, and a love of storytelling that crossed borders and cultures.
🎭 An Immersive Journey Through a Puppeteer’s Life
A Life with Puppets invites visitors to step inside John’s creative world.
Through a thoughtful combination of puppets, images, and music, the exhibition traces the journeys and productions that defined his career. It offers a rare opportunity to encounter these works up close — many of which have remained unseen for over a decade.
✨ More Than an Exhibition
In keeping with the spirit of John’s work — playful, accessible, and deeply human — the exhibition also includes:
Drop-in puppet-making activities
Live demonstrations of puppetry performance
Hands-on opportunities to interact with selected puppets
These elements create a welcoming space for visitors of all ages to engage not only with the history of the work, but with the living practice of puppetry itself.
We warmly encourage anyone with an interest in puppetry — whether long-standing or newly discovered — to visit, reflect, and be inspired by this touching tribute to a life dedicated to the art form.