The Merlin Puppet Theatre

John Milner joined The Merlin Puppet Theatre in the early eighties. It was founded by Gerry Mahoney.GerryMahoney's interest in puppetry first started at Cardiff College of Education in 1969 where he studied Art. English and Drama. His first teaching experience was in Northern Nigeria teaching English through the medium of Ar at a Government Girls' Grammar School.Upon his return to the UK he took up an appointment at a Comprehensive School in the Black Country and there introduced puppetry into the school curriculum where it became regarded as a serious art form. On many occasions live acting and puppetry were combined to present major school productions such as Gluck's "Orpheus", "Alice in Wonderland" and "Peer Gynt".In 1976 Gerry left the teaching profession and founded Gerry Mahoney's Puppet Theatre. A year later the Merlin Puppet Theatre emerged. The puppet theatre is essentially a touring theatre company introducing live theatre in the form of puppet shows to hundreds of schools in and around the West Midlands.Within a few years international magician John Milner joined the Merlin Puppet Theatre Company to add a unique dimension and create a new, exciting relationship between puppet and magician.THe Merlin Puppet Theatre has been responsible for numerous puppetry workshops, lectures, demonstrations and exhibitions at various educational establishments, libraries and centres for the mentally handicapped.The purpose of the Merlin Puppet Theatre has always been to entertain and to create an approach to learning which is didactic, stimulating and also highly enjoyable.