Giant puppet set for performance at Yeovil Super Saturday

A giant puppet measuring a whopping 13-feet in height is set to wow audiences in Yeovil at the town’s Super Saturday on Saturday 16 September.

The company responsible for the creation, Autin Dance Theatre company, will be performing “Out of the Deep Blue”, a story specifically for family and festival audiences which tells the magical story of Eko, a sea giant who rises from the deep ocean and who encounters, on the shore, a courageous little girl called Violet. The choreography is a larger-than-life ‘pas de deux’, which uses contemporary dance theatre and masterful puppeteering as storytelling tools. The puppet, which is operated by five puppeteers, will be joined by a female dancer for the performance.

The performance has been made possible thanks to The Octagon Theatre becoming an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) and being awarded an investment of £760,000 to support arts and cultural activities in Somerset over the next three years. Becoming an NPO enables more opportunities for communities to watch, take part and benefit from arts and cultural activities such as the performance of “Out of the Deep Blue”.

Katherine Hoskins, Arts Engagement Manager for The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue, said: “While The Octagon is closed, ahead of the exciting transformation work due to take place, we are excited to bring amazing performance outside of our venues and find new ways to entertain and connect with our audiences and introduce new people to our work.”

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Housing and Culture at Somerset Council, added: “We’re excited to welcome the Autin Dance Theatre to Somerset to entertain residents with Eko, the sentient sea giant during Super Saturday.

“We’re dedicated to be supporting the arts and cultural sector with the generous NPO funding from Arts Council England and will utilise it to bring creativity, inspiration and enjoyment to Somerset communities.

“We’d like to thank Yeovil Town Council for organising this fantastic local event.”

Autin Dance Theatre will be performing Out of the Deep Blue Deep three times throughout the day at 10.30am, 12.45pm and 3.15pm at The Quedam Shopping Centre.

Yeovil Super Saturday is an exciting day of fun that brings food, music and entertainment to the town centre. There will be glorious and delicious food by local producers and artisans as eat:festivals brings the very best West Country food and drink to Yeovil.  Choose your favourite and settle down to watch an outdoor aerial awe-inspiring performance of Pirate Taxi by the award-winning Pirates of the Carabina. Music at designated Buskstops will be provided by Abbey 104 as talented musicians from near and far busk for their chosen charity. The Eastville Project Space will also have a day of live music and Yeovil Art Space will be celebrating the “Sound of Yeovil” as part of the “Story of Yeovil” arts and heritage project.

Look out for the stilt walker who will help you find your way around the events and point you in the direction of the circus skills workshop to have a go at balancing, juggling, spinning and twirling.

Yeovil Super Saturday is organised by Yeovil Town Council. The Autin Dance Theatre performance has been brought to the event in partnership with The Octagon Theatre and Yeovil Town Council. Thanks to The Quedam Shopping Centre for enabling the performance to take place.