Harlequin Puppet Theatre

The Harlequin Puppet Theatre stands on a seafront plot in Rhos-on-Sea, a small town on the north coast of Wales. Built in 1958 from local stone and salvaged wood, the single-storey building has a low-pitched roof and large windows that let in sea light. Inside, a hundred seats face a narrow stage framed by painted murals that Eric Bramall finished in one week. The theatre’s name appears above the proscenium arch in bold capitals. Outside, a narrow driveway leads to a small car park bordered by a low stone wall. The place matters because it is Britain’s oldest permanent puppet theatre, founded by Eric Bramall after years of touring shows. Bramall built the theatre in eleven weeks on land donated by Millicent Ford, a local enthusiast. In 1958 Sir Clayton Russon opened the building, which later won a Civic Trust Award for its design. Bramall and his partner Chris Somerville also ran a weekly BBC Wales puppet programme for thirty years, helping to keep the theatre alive. The building now has Grade II listed status to protect its future. Visitors step into a single room where the stage dominates the far wall. The ceiling slopes down towards the back seats, giving everyone a clear view of the marionettes. Around a thousand figures hang in storage racks behind the scenes, each one dressed for shows that once filled school holidays. The walls still carry Bramall’s hand-painted murals of forests and castles. Outside, the sea lies just beyond the car park wall, and the sound of waves mixes with the quiet of the town.