Puppet theatre in London

Tucked away in the back streets of Islington, Little Angel Theatre is a hub of pioneering puppeteering activity. Established by South African John Wright in 1961, Little Angel Theatre is London’s only permanent puppet theatre. Housed in a former Temperance Hall, it hosts an endless stream of productions from visiting companies from around the country, with stories tailored to age groups from toddlers right up to 12-year-olds. But best of all are its popular in-house shows, which pull in hordes of kids at Christmas and during the school holidays. In a quaint twist that reveals the artifice behind the magic, the compact 100-seat main stage sits alongside the workshop where the marionettes for in-house shows are carved and developed. There's also a studio round the corner, which houses performances with shorter runs. And for kids who want to get involved as well as watch, there’s a Saturday Puppet Club and a revolving programme of workshops and events to inspire the next generation of puppeteers. The shows are very much geared up for audiences of children, so expect to share the auditorium with chatty young'uns. Tickets are consistently reasonably priced (they're pretty much always well under £20 each) and the theatre's Friday Fives scheme makes £5 tickets available at 5pm on Friday. Find more shows for kids of all ages with our guide to children's theatre in London

Moored at lovely Little Venice, this intimate water-borne theatre is the setting for quality puppet shows that put a modern twist on traditional tales and kids’ classics. Movingstage, a touring puppet company established in 1979, anchored here in 1982 and has since produced critically acclaimed marionette and animation shows for a mini 55-seat audience. The barge is here from October to July, with regular performances on Saturday and Sunday and a daily schedule during school holidays. The barge moves to Richmond from August. Discover more great things to do in Little Venice

This intimate water-borne theatre is the setting for quality puppet shows that put a modern twist on traditional tales and kids’ classics. Movingstage, a touring puppet company established in 1979, anchored here in 1982 and has since produced critically acclaimed marionette and animation shows for a mini 55-seat audience. The barge is in Little Venice from October to July and arrives in Richmond in August.