From Buxton Advertiser :  Published Date:  01 April 2009

Buxton’s Funny Wonders is planning big things for the future now it is has been incorporated as a Community Interest Company to develop puppetry and multi-media activities and performances.

Celebrating in the photograph at an event at Buxton Community School held on Saturday are artistic director Chris Agnew with young puppeteers Daniel Burns, Sam Kelly and Hattie Whiteley.

The group script writes, composes and performs with people and puppets and have exchange projects with Japan and India.

The group began in the late 1990’s as a Saturday morning puppet-making club around a kitchen table.

Co-founder Chris Agnew launched the first Buxton Puppet Festival in 2003.

Since 2007, Funny Wonders has partnered Buxton Opera House to present an annual summer event.

From April 8-11 it is holding a workshop at Buxton Community School, from 10am-4pm for three days, with top Japanese master puppeteer Nori Sawa.

The workshop will create the framework for an exciting new youth production that will be performed at Buxton Opera House as part of Buxton Puppet Festival 2009. Young people, artists and volunteers are all welcome.