Photos of Chutney Preserves 6 -The Puppet Games

Chutney Preserves 6 -The Puppet Games, a set on Flickr.

Hoopla - Chutney Preserves GO EAST

On Friday 13th July, under a mercury sky and in the shadow of the Olympic stadium, The Chutney Preserves re-inacted The Puppet Games at Tessa Garland's Hoopla 

at the Sugarhouse Studios

Participating Chutney Prreserves artists:  Linda Barck, Sarah Doyle,  Tim Flintcroft, Rebecca Feiner,  Miyuki Kasahara, Calum F. Kerr, Libby Shearon, Sarah Sparkes

Here's more about Hoopla:

A sideways antidote to the Olympics...

For one night only a Pop Up event featuring artists films and live art
related to London 2012. Plus expect to see puppeteers, art stalls, Olympic Games, workshops and more.

A Nunnery Gallery Event

Performance, Live Art, Experimental Theatre, Experimental Cabaret, Experimental Dance/Movement, Installation, Video Art, Digital Art, Net Art, Multi Media, Time-based, Interdisciplinary, Experimental Film, Visual Art, Writing/Text, Poetry /Spoken word, Sound /Sonic art, Experimental music, Site Specific, Public Art, Intervention/ Action, Socially engaged practice,

Curated by Tessa Garland

Sarah Sparkes with puppet familiar introduces Sarah Doyle with the awesome Feral Parrot.
You can see more of this not so innocent puppet in action here

Chutney Puppet Camp opened to all, with Linda Barck, Libby Shearon (pictured above)and Sarah Sparkes helping people to create a puppet for the opening ceremony (pictured below)

Gran-paw Frankee handeled by his son Frank ee (AKA Calum F. Kerr) leads the new born puppets around the arena to summon up the spirit of Chutney Preserves.



Miyuki Kasahara and Nadia performing in the Rhythmic Gymnastics event for Chutney Preserves at Hoopla

Chutney Preserves 6: The Puppet Games

24 June, 1-7pm on Camberwell Green The Chutney Preserves 6: The Puppet Games

On Camberwell Green, Camberwell Rd, London, SE5

(Nearest tube: Brixton and then buses 35,45,345 or Oval and buses 36,185,346 or Elephant and Castle and then buses 12,35,40,45,68,148,171,176,468)

Invoking the spirit of the ancient Camberwell Fair and its

promise of “Rare doings in Camberwell”, The Chutney Preserves invite you to come and play with us at The Puppet Games.

Who cares that Camberwell Green was overlooked as a site for beach volley ball or equestrian dressage  – because Camberwell has the Puppet Games!!

Marionettes compete in rhythmic gymnastics, the obstacle race and a final surprise showdown to be judged by esteemed Chutney judges (susceptible to bribes and blackmail)

Side-shows feature puppets of all persuasions.
Unsporting interactions will be offered.
Musical interludes. Unwrong Quizz with prizes for all. Make your own puppet contender at a free workshop!
All under canvas, leafy boughs and the azure sky.
You may bring your own water and steroids and picnic on the Green.


Linda Barck, Jude Cowan Montague,
Sarah Doyle, Rebecca Feiner,
Miyuki Kasahara, Tim Flitcroft,
Calum F. Kerr, Joanna McCormick ,
Frog Morris & Mark Dean Quinn,
Phillip Raymond Goodman, Olivia-jane Ransley, Libby Shearon,
Sarah Sparkes, Jacqueline Utley,
A Goat and others

Judges: Jo David, Rachael House, Marq Kearey

Sponsored by Camberwell Arts and Space Station Sixty Five 

Frog Morris and Mark Dean Quinn

Prepare to put your creative agility to the test. The UnWrong Quiz is the quiz with no right or wrong answers. We celebrates the people who can't remember who holds the world record for the 100 meters, but might think of something useful to do with a ball of plasticine, twelve meters of garden hose and David Hasselhoff's chest hair. For this the special Olympic edition of the the UnWrong Quiz , the audience will be challenged to write stories, make up jokes, draw pictures and invent rules for some new sports we could actually stand a chance of winning at.

Miyjki Kasahara

My puppet will be called 'Nadia' and she is a Rokurokubi* yōkai (supernatural figure/monster).

Starting like a normal human being, she will reveal her true nature during the games.

She resembles the legendary Romanian gymnastic queen, Nadia Comaneci who was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 in the Olympics 1976.

*Rokurokubi are one of the most common yōkai found in Japanese folklore.

They look like normal human beings by day, but at night they gain the ability to stretch their necks to great lengths. On this occasion, Nadia's neck stretches when she gets excited which will surely happen often during the Puppet Games!

Joanna McCormick and Nick Baxter 

Nick Baxter and I will be making a paralympic gold champion wheelchair puppet out of old bicycle wheels, newspaper, parcel tape, string and gold leaf. The puppet will be quite large, about waist height and the wheels are from an old bmx bike. We will take part in the obstacle course if possible but otherwise will just be nipping about the place doing wheelies and bumping into people. We also plan to dance to some of Jude Cowan's tunes....

Calum F. Kerr

First there wuz Babee-Franke now there is 'Granpaw Frank E.', over hunert and fifty years old he was to compete in the rodeo dressage at the first modern olympics in 1896. Unfortunately he thought it was in Athens, Georgia not Athens, Greece so he missed it entirely. While his errent grandson Frank E. became singer for Lonesome Cowboys from Hell Granpaw has been training up and is ready to return for the Games. He can still lasso and barrel-roll with the best of em. Frank E. will be there to encourage his granpaw, and to protect the public.

Linda Barck, Libby Shearon, Sarah Sparkes and Jacqueline Utley

Puppet Making and Training Camp

Make your own "elite athlete" at Barcks and Sparkes puppet camp.  Wondrous puppet making materials will be provided.  Create a marionette and try out your puppet handling skills on a puppet assault course.  All ages welcome. No previous puppet making or sporting experience necessary! 

Phillip Raymond Goodman

'you saunter up to Camberwell green, a spring in your step, you see in the distance "oh wow a giant chess board, i've allways wanted to try on of those" but as you get closer you see something is amiss, no kings, no queens, no bishops, rooks, horsies, or pawns "what's going on here" you ask the winds feebly as you see instead, strange, spindly warriors, in outlandish armour, harnessing garish weapons, with otherworldly symbols hung about them, and not a spot of hierarchy among them "my gosh" you exclaim, -TIME TO PLAY WITH ALL GAMES, CHESS REMIXED- these words echo in your brain'

Jude Cowan- Montague

Jude will improvise on Reuters news stories about the Olympic Games using electronica

This will combine with other groups puppet activities, ie puppets will improvise along to the news stories.

Tim Flitcroft

Mr P Sterling will be scarecrow sized and operated by two broom handles from the back. The legs will be springs maybe with weights attached and the body of card or cloth with either a pound sterling symbol on it or visual elements from a fifty pound note. The head is a sheep skull with a bowler hat on top. It will be made quite crudely from wood and string - a Heath Robinson affair

"P Sterling, (AKA Zombie Banker) a paralympic competitor, will be bouncing and staggering around in pursuit of Olympic excellence. But dont be surprised if his debts weigh him down and make him rather a weak competitor. Best known for his dribbling skills with a ball his reutation for sharp pratices means he is likely to take any unfair advantage he can." 

Sarah Doyle

I am making a South London green dancing parrot puppet. Feral parrots have been recorded in London since 1855. There are however rumors that the parrots of South London are descended from birds Jimi Hendrix released in the 60s. The parrot will be challenging all comers to a dance off competition on Camberwell Green.

I am also making a puppet that will be asking passers by to spin their heads in a dutty wine dance off.

Jo Harrison

Synchronised swimming being probably the most aesthetically pleasing Olympic event has prompted me to opt for a puppet activity of a soggy nature. Something of an aquatic disembodied can-can. Legs of all kinds will be whirling, swirling and flailing around to delight and enthrall. Nose clips, swim hats and arm bands will be provided.

Rebecca Feiner

For the infamous Chutney 2012 Puppet Games,  closing ceremony of Camberwell Arts Festival, artist Rebecca Feiner poses the question, who pulls the strings?

She rejects the idea that we are mere puppets of the financial systems of the western world, with their logo driven games that make sport of us all.

 Feiner gives a response that will inflame you to cut loose and break free …

Olivia-jane Ransley

In the spirit of what we English do well, morning Jeremy Kyle watching, sitting in the cold smoking area, last pint before time is called,  microwave meals and voting apathy I bring you Nick O'Tene the Tortoise.  He is 'so fast he is smoking'.  Rarely seen without a fag in his mouth or an oxygen mask at his feet, he swears the secret to his success as a long distance runner is his 40 a day habit.  If the speed he lights a cigarette is anything to go by then he will be undefeated at this years puppet olympics

Let the Chutney Games Begin!

Chutney Puppet Camp

Come make a puppet at Chutney Puppet Camp, part of 

Chutney 6: The Puppet Games.

Sarah Sparkes with Linda Barck, Libby Shearon and Jacqueline Utley will help you create a marionette.  Materials and puppet handling training provided and all taking place under mystical dome marquee.
Join us from 1-6pm on Camberwell Green, make your own elite puppet athlete and train it on the puppet obstacle race.

Chutney 6 Official Badges

Limited edition, Chutney Preserves 6 Badges will be available on Sunday 24th as part of Chutney Preserves 6- the Puppet Games
Designed by Sarah Sparkes and featuring official, cheeky C6 mascots.  There are two different designs available.