As part of the Arbroath 2020+1 Festival, drama specialist and teacher Abbey Craig worked in partnership with associate artist Mandy MacIntosh, supported by Hospitalfield,  to create a puppet pageant with Warddykes Primary school.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Abbey Craig devised an accessible teaching and learning pack for primary school pupils working from home. Made to fit through letterboxes, the pack included a puppet play and script based on the story Agnes of Dunbar and art and craft materials to create puppet characters. 

Artist Mandy MacIntosh worked with the school, who were involved with every aspect of making the puppet pageant: crafting puppet characters inspired by Abbey’s play and script; developing the narrative; designing and building the puppet set; creating fantastic puppet characters; and producing the performance for film. Mandy’s film of the making of the pageant received a public viewing, held in the town’s fish market , as part of the festival’s summer celebrations. 

Watch the short film here, with special thanks to all staff and pupils at Warddykes Primary School.