Puppetry festival returns with no strings attached

The Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival is in its sixth year

An international celebration of puppets is taking place in a Kent town.

The Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival, which is in its sixth year, opens on Saturday and runs until 13 October.

The event includes three international artists, two UK premieres, one world premiere and a parade over its nine days.

The festival "celebrates world class puppetry in all forms from masks to aerial work", a spokesperson said.

The programme, which is part-funded by the Arts Council, takes place at venues across the town, including Royal Victoria Place, Trinity Theatre and The Pantiles.

Highlights of the 40 events include a wordless production of Macbeth, a rhyming fable featuring song and dance and a talk by one of the puppeteers from the Muppet Show.

The parade through the town centre takes place on 13 October.

A total of 40 puppetry events take place over the festival's nine-day run

Alison Bundy, festival co-director, said: “One in five children in Tunbridge Wells live in poverty and we want to break down any socio-economic barriers.

"We will support community engagement by presenting 28 free performances across different venues including six open spaces."