Meet The Puppeteer From the University of York Performing Around the Globe
University of York alumni Alice Bravery is taking her puppeteering skills stateside with Dinosaur World Live
An actor, theatre-maker and puppeteer, Alice has been working professionally in the arts since graduating from the University of York. ‘My background is quite multi-disciplinary,’ she says. ‘I’ve worked as an actor and director within theatre, as well as having a career behind the scenes as a producer, facilitator and project manager – which has allowed me to build a sustainable career in what is a very competitive industry. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to puppetry and theatre for young audiences, which is now the core of my practice.’
Alice has enjoyed puppetry since she was young, before she realised it could be a career path for her. ‘I remember seeing War Horse as a teenager and being completely blown away – it was the best piece of theatre I’d ever seen,’ she says. ‘For a long time, though, I didn’t see puppetry as an option for myself. That changed later when I worked as a producer supporting puppetry projects, including with artists who had been involved in War Horse. It was a real lightbulb moment – suddenly I realised it was exactly the kind of work I wanted to do and that it was a realistic career. Puppetry combines physical performance, storytelling and technical skill in a way I find endlessly exciting.’
Alice trained at the University of York’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television. ‘The course had a strong multi-skill approach, which taught me to be adaptable and self-sufficient – something that’s essential in the theatre industry,’ she says. ‘I trained across acting, directing, writing, design, production and screen work, which helped me think of myself not just as an actor, but as a creative practitioner with a broad skill set. That versatility has been key to my career. Creatively, it’s allowed me to contribute in lots of different ways when making work, and practically it’s meant I’ve been able to keep working consistently since graduating.’
Alice’s career has taken her down various paths. ‘After university, I spent several years working behind the scenes in the arts, particularly in producing and project management, while gradually finding my way back to my own creative practice,’ she tells us. ‘Eventually, that led me to retrain as a puppeteer at the Curious School of Puppetry. Since then, I’ve worked extensively in theatre for young audiences with companies including Little Angel Theatre, Polka Theatre and Punchdrunk Enrichment, and I now tour internationally as an actor and puppeteer. Each stage of my career has fed into the next, even when it didn’t feel that way at the time.’
Dinosaur World Live is a large-scale Olivier-Award-Winning family show that brings life-size dinosaurs to the stage through puppetry. Having previously performed at Newcastle’s Northern Stage, the show's next stop is Minneapolis. ’It’s an incredibly immersive production, and audiences really do believe these creatures are alive in front of them,’ says Alice. ‘The show has toured internationally, and I’ve personally performed it both in China and now across North America. It’s thrilling to be part of a production that introduces so many children to live theatre for the first time.’
Alice operates the dinosaurs while also bringing them to life emotionally and narratively. ‘It’s demanding work – the puppets are heavy, the movement required to bring them to life is intense, and the concentration required is huge – but that’s also what makes it so rewarding,’ she says. ‘What I love most is seeing the audience’s reaction. Watching children – and adults – completely suspend their disbelief and connect emotionally with these creatures never gets old.’
Her best advice for those looking to get into puppetry is to be curious, and don’t assume there’s only one way in. ‘Puppetry is still often overlooked, but it’s everywhere once you start paying attention,’ she says. ‘Build a broad skill set, stay physically fit and strong, and don’t be afraid to take unconventional paths. Specialist training can be incredibly valuable, but so is patience and persistence. Like any craft, puppetry takes time to master, and resilience is just as important as talent.’
Following the Dinosaur World Live shows in the States, Alice hopes to keep performing in the UK and internationally. ‘I want to continue developing my work as a puppeteer, pushing myself to have different experiences of working across this diverse artform while expanding creatively into directing and creating new work,’ she says. ‘At the same time passing my skills on to the next generation of future puppeteers through teaching, mentoring and creative leadership. I’m especially passionate about theatre for young audiences and helping to champion it as a vital, ambitious and artistically rigorous part of the industry.’
