Puppetry: How to Do it by Mervyn Millar

Puppetry expert Mervyn Millar was part of the creative team for the National Theatre's War Horse, and here he channels his knowledge, experience and passion for this fast-growing art form into an accessible guide to creating and performing with puppets. Suitable for students of all ages, as well as for theatre directors, designers and performers, this well-illustrated book is a treasure trove of practical advice and insights into puppetry.

Millar skilfully takes the reader through a process of building up an understanding of working with puppets, from the most basic ideas to more challenging techniques. This is interwoven with a series of fun exercises and improvisation games, which encourage participants to get a feel for bringing inanimate objects to life, and to experiment with different types of objects and materials to create simple puppets.

Later, the book looks at creating more complex puppets, devising theatrical scenes and developing characterisation. There are also discussions about the role of the puppeteer, types of puppets, designing and making puppets and much more. A detailed bibliography, covering the history, technique and theory of puppetry, offers useful suggestions for further exploration.

With its clear, engaging style, this book will add a new dimension to drama classes, enabling teachers to build on students' existing skills and develop new ones in a fresh, innovative way.