A poor miller leads his family from rustic poverty to middle class comfort by gently guiding his none too ethical landlord, a gullible, grasping fellow, into simple financial speculations that go way over his head.  This play is an adaptation of a classic folk tale known around the world under a multitude of names.  Hans Anderson called it “Big Klaus and Little Klaus”, an Irish version goes by the name of “Hudden and Dudden and Donnal O’Neary”, and there are variations from France, India, Korea and elsewhere.

EITHER partnered with a demonstration of puppetry around the world

  • For family and adult audiences: ages 5 to 105.
  • For school audiences :  Grades K to 8
  • Approximately 45 minutes.

OR partnered with its sequel  The Miller’s Wife (see below),

The Miller's Wife

This play continues the adventures of the miller and his family.  In this tale the miller’s wife takes the reins when she is tied up in a plot to kill the king.  While baking the Royal birthday cake she manages to frustrate every regicidal attempt made by intriguing assassins, and to establish her eldest son as heir to the throne, thus providing a happy end for everyone.  Well, almost everyone.  This story is an adaptation of an Irish folk tale about outwitting the “little folk”, with fairies replaced by royalty and a palace intrigue, and includes the making and baking of a birthday cake.

  • For family and adult audiences: ages 8 to 108
  • For  school audiences:   Grades 4 to 8

 

The Miller’and his Wife

The Miller and his Wife,  (The Miller  partnered with The Miller’s Wife) populated with a heart-warming cast of eccentric puppet caricatures, is a witty English situation comedy about power, bullying and trickery.  The play has been recognized as an outstanding production with a   Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry f rom  l’Union International de la Marionette, USA.

Partnered with its prequel  The Miller ( see above)

  • For family and adult audiences, aged 8 to 108.
  • Approximately 60 minutes.

AWARDS

Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from UNIMA-USA

PLAYED AT

Theatre Passe Muraille Back Space, Tarragon Theatre Spring Arts Fair, Mariposa Folk Festivals, Schools and Libraries all over Ontario, and lots of other places that we’ve unfortunately forgotten…

Center for Puppetry Arts, Georgia; Puppeteers of America Festival, California; ASSITEJ Tour of Wales, UK; Battersea Arts Centre, UK; DIP Festival, Germany; Tehran Puppet Festival, Iran.

 For further details please contact by:  Email or Telephone:  416-469-3555

Play Video
Superbly refined and hilariously detached
The Corcoran Museum
Washington, DC
One of the outstanding puppetry companies in the world today.
Puppetry Journal
USA
  What they did was simply... That's where I get all hung up. All the superlatives would belie the nuances and subtleties of Friday night's erformance by Puppetmongers. The words would be too large, too broad.  Because what this brother and sister team did with the art of puppetry was delicious. It really was like eating your favourite dessert -- you loved every morsel, every tidbit, and, when you were finished, you wanted more.                                       Their performance was at once funny and serious, light and substantial, old and new.   In both stories they performed -- The Miller and The Miller's Wife, they showed a fine comic sense, combining puns, grand farce and wry wit to marvelous effect. Their timing was superb, their characterizations complete in every respect. The actual creation of the puppets shows a versatility and imagination second to none.                                                    They led off the evening with a demonstration, not an unusual practice. However, they turned even this into something quite special. They took you on an exploration that was both magical and practical. It really served as an appetizer to the main course, revealing just what was really in store for you.     I recommend highly that you see the performance. It is truly a show the whole family can enjoy and it is certainly a chance to see puppetry practiced at its finest.  
Edmonton Journal
Edmonton, AL

TECH SHEET FOR THE SHORT SHOW

Length of performance:

  • 30 minutes, or 45 minutes when paired with a demonstration of puppetry from around the world
  • A 15 minute Q & A session can be added on request

Age of audience:  

  • Public Venues:  All ages 5 and up
  • In Schools:  Grades K – 8

Maximum audience:  250 people if seated on the floor in a school gym. Or 300 in raked seating and a raised stage

Performing area:  

  • 5.2 meters wide X 3.5 meters deep X 2.5 meters ceiling.
  • 18′ wide by 12′ deep by 8′ high

Complete black out is desirable

Electricity:  Access to a standard 120 volt outlet.                                                             The company brings extension cords.

Equipment:   The Company brings its own light and sound systems for school performances.

Personnel:  2 performers

Set Up & Strike

  • Set up time for the set is 1 hour
  • Take out time for the set is 1 hour
  • In a theatre an extra hour set up time will be needed for light focus
  •  

TECH SHEET for combined full show”] PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY:  When The Miller and The Miller’s Wife are combined as The Miller & His Wife, the tech changes radically: See below

Length of performance:  60 minutes when paired with The Miller

Age of audience:  8 years old and up

Maximum audience:  250 people

Please note that if the audience is to be 50 people or more, we require a raised performing area (a minimum of 2 feet), OR raked seatingwith a clear view of the stage floor. This because the Miller’s Wife puppets are manipulated at the level of the performers’ feet.

Performing area:  

  • 5.2 meters wide X 3.5 meters deep X 2.5 meters ceiling.
  • 18′ wide by 12′ deep by 8′ high

Complete black out is desirable

Equipment:   The Company brings its own light and sound systems for non-theatrical venues.

Electricity:  Access to a standard 120 volt outlet. The company brings extension cords.

Personnel:  2 performers

Set Up & Strike

  • Set up time for the set is 1 hour.  NB: an extra hour is required in a theatre venue for light focus
  • Take out time for the set is 1 hour

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