A new Tyne and Wear Metro train has had a starring role at the Newcastle Puppetry Festival.
The spectacular Metro puppet, 15 metres in length, was a striking feature of this year’s parade, which took place in Exhibition Park on Easter Saturday, 19 April.
The life-sized Metro carriage wowed the crowds, underscoring Metro’s role at the heart of the local communities it serves and the familiarity of the brand.
We are thrilled that the new Metro train was part of this year’s show, and that the completed puppet looked amazing.
The theme of this year’s parade was ‘underground’ – hence the organiser’s desire to feature a Metro train.
The parade – or to give it its full title, the Toon Underground community parade –featured 200 local residents and artists, many of whom have been busy creating the puppets at parade workshops held at Great North Museum: Hancock.
Sarah McCourt, Head of Communications and Marketing at Nexus, said: “We were delighted to see our new Metro train feature so prominently in his year’s Newcastle Puppetry Festival, which is a fantastically visual event for the city.
“The completed Metro puppet looked amazing. It’s size had huge impact and really caught the eye during the parade. The crowds loved seeing this locally iconic brand playing a part in the event.
“Metro is part of everyday life in our region. We’re currently rolling out the new fleet of trains for customers. They capture the imagination and represent a bright future for the Tyne and Wear Metro. The new train recreated at this world class event is something that we’re really proud of.”
Kerrin Tatman, Artistic Director of the Newcastle Puppetry Festival, said: "It is fantastic to be supported by Nexus this year to help make the Toon Underground parade happen. The Metro train is iconic to Newcastle and Tyne and Wear, and is central to our cities transport network, and so it feels right that the Metro puppet is a central feature of our underground-themed parade. It has been brilliant having Nexus staff directly involved in community workshops, and helping to build the train puppet itself.”
Newcastle Puppetry Festival has grown from small beginnings into one of the region’s annual highlights.
Founded and run by the charity Moving Parts Arts, it attracted 28,000 people last year and they weren’t all from the North East.
Following the parade the Metro puppet will be on public display at the Great North Museum: Hancock until the end of April.
Real puppet fans travel and they’re now coming from overseas to what has become one of the largest events of its kind in the UK.
This year’s festival features a wide range of ticketed theatre and performance events, workshops and films at Northern Stage and Great North Museum: Hancock, and while much of it is aimed at children and families, there are also shows and workshops for teen and adult audiences.
Along with partner Great North Museum: Hancock, this year’s festival was made possible and is funded by Arts Council England, Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, National Lottery Community Fund ‘Awards for All’, Nexus, The Barbour Foundation and Hadrian Trust and Street Games.