MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
THE MANTELL-LYELL LEGACY Geology and participatory puppet making events November ’26
SHOW
MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH – Show
Sunday 1st Nov 2.00pm
The 55-minute performance redolent of the Victorian stage, kicks off the MANTELL-LYELL LEGACY at the MUSEUM & ART GALLERY HASTINGS, with a mixed cast of people, puppets (great and small) and toy theatre.
The stunning unravelling of the Mantells’ first dinosaur discoveries brings audiences “A clear educational guide of how fossils were discovered. It was great!” Directed by Samuel Dutton
WORKSHOPS
GEOLOGY and shadow puppet making workshop
Sunday Nov 15th 11.30 – 2.30pm
Meet Phil Hadland, palaeontologist, who will show and talk about the geology of fossils from the Museum’s collection. Workshopees are invited to design and make creatures from the Jurassic and Cretaceous in landscape settings. The session will conclude with showings bringing characters to life for the whole group. “Massively impressed “ Folkestone Museum
Photo: Quarry man wheeling bones in wheelbarrow from MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH
Clive Tag
PALEO ART through the lens of the MAGIC LANTERN workshop
Sunday Nov 22nd 11.30 – 2.30pm
Keith Leech BSC will introduce this session describing how the Victorians came to comprehend the reality of deep time. This is followed by an introduction to the Magic Lantern – an early technology that projected coloured images painted on glass. Dinosaurs and landscapes from pre-history had to be imagined and this was an ideal vehicle for illustrating the hitherto unknown. Participants design their own paleo-artistic impressions on slides, to create a Victorian parlour, sharing and showing with the group.
THE LINE-UP of VICTORIAN SCIENTISTS workshop
Sunday Nov 29th 11.30 – 2.30pm
Phil Hadland‘s introduction to the early geologists who made the first discoveries, from the iguanodon of Gideon Mantell in Sussex to conclusions drawn by Charles Lyell in his Principles of Geology. Lyell was a prime influence on Darwin’s Evolution of the Species. Also to be considered are lesser recognised female scientists, from Mary Anning and Mary Ann Mantell onwards, who brought these realisations to fruition.
This is a puppet making and performing session where participants create 2D characters from the Victorian toy theatre.
“The event was incredibly well received, people really enjoyed it”
LAPWORTH MUSEUM of GEOLOGY Birmingham
Photos: Participation Birmingham.
Baron Cuvier puppet from MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH Clive Tagg
THE MANTELL-LYELL LEGACY is a project from the puppet theatre iDOLRiCH theatreRotto, a charitably based company in Hastings. Lead facilitators are Julia Dunbar McLean, puppeteer and maker, and Heather Leech, performer, alongside a larger team of professionals and volunteers. The award-winning company has toured widely throughout the UK and in Europe and in recent years has focused on productions, events and training closer to home, in connection with Sussex and its prehistory. The Geological Society gave support to the creation of the MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH production, and have followed up with a contribution to this project through their Curry Fund. The Geographical society houses the Lyell Collection.
Philip Hadland is curator at the museum and a palaeontologist of standing – having identified the last UK dinosaur footprints in Folkestone. Samuel Dutton is a puppeteer and director from the Little Angel Islington. Technicians are Joshua Jupp and Julian Rumball puppeteer.
- Workshops are fully accessible and suitable for children 8+ and accompanied younger children however the scheme has a wide age reach.
- There will be a short lunch break in each session for packed lunches. Coffees and teas will be provided.
- Puppets and artefacts created can be taken away for future enjoyment.
- Places limited. Bookings through the Museum website.
BOOKING
Photo: Iguanodon. Clive Tagg
MRS MANTELL’S TOOTH Show: Nov 1st £18 (£14 concession)
GEOLOGY & SHADOW PUPPET MAKING WORKSHOP Nov 15th
PALEO ART THROUGH THE LENS OF THE MAGIC LANTERN WORKSHOP Nov 22nd
THE LINE-UP of VICTORIAN SCIENTISTS WORKSHOP Nov 29th
Individual workshops £9 per session
3 x workshops £25
All four events £40
Children under 10 £5
Details: info@theatrerotto.co.uk tel: 01424 203944 www.theatrerotto.co.uk
Charity no: 1155824