In the past whenever I've put a member of the Heights Staff into the show it has always been a total surprise to them.
Puppets were made in secret without them knowing in advance. Some have even been 'adapted' to being different new staff members years after the original person has retired.
That is not the case this time with ...
Our super-guest-greeter
TRUDI
TRUDI has been very keen to be in the puppet show for a couple of years now.
Over the Summer season she is to be found by the Big Map just by the Cable Car Top Station.
Trudi meets and greets our guests and informs them of all the attractions at Heights that day.
She is a champion for the Punch Show, always alerting families to the three show times.
So last Summer I promised her she would feature in the 2025 show, and she let me take some sculpting reference photos.
It all feels a bit 'Madame Tussauds' ...but here we go !
This puppets face will be made out of my own recipe Paper Pulp.
Hopefully later in the spring I will upload a video tutorial of how to make it yourself at home.
As this will be a simple stick puppet, unsurprisingly it all starts with a stick !
And a lot of paper mache pulp slowly applied all over an aluminium core.
Pulp heads are always built up in layers. This allows the pulp to dry out thoroughly.
It does mean every sculpt goes through lots of developments where it really does not bear much resemblance to the final product.
At the moment, because of the mounting points for her spectacles, poor Trudi looks more like a Cyberman!
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This will change with the next few layers of pulp.
Another layer of pulp : mostly to steady the glasses on the bridge of her nose.
If you are looking in to see the progress Trudi - dont panic.
There will be lots more layers yet.
This is still very much just the 'structural' stage. She will get more pretty as we go along.
Just starting to see a recognisable likeness ( at least in cartoon form )
Drying out on a radiator along with another puppet and the new Show Times board.
Trudis glove body is a simple fabric tube which will be fixed to the wooden control stick.
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Blue fabric is basted over thicker red lining fabric for extra strength.
Trousers are made in panels, plus a belt loop section.
My label is added plus the D-Ring to hang her in the booth.
Belt loops will help hold Trudis First Aid Kit and her microphone pack.
I don't know many domestic sewing machines tough enough to sew this many fabric layers together.
The Bernina 1008 was made principally for schools and colleges. It is a real Work Donkey!
The end result is a puppet body nicely lined on the inside with colour coordinated fabric.
Wool test for hair.
I think I've got a nice mix with these two different yarns.
Together this blend of wools gives an interesting hair texture that approximates the real thing quite well.
Trudi wears a very distinctive hat most days at Heights, either to keep off the rain or to shield her from the sun.
Cardboard template for Trudis trademark sun hat.
The blue fabric is zig zag stitched onto layers of black stiffener.
This will make the hat brim nice and solid.
I've said before that being a puppet maker means being a 'Jack of all Trades'.
Sometimes making puppets means you need to be a mini-milliner able to make small hats.
This hat is a big part of Trudis image.
So getting it looking 'right' was very important to me.
I'm happy with how the brim is progressing.
It's just like the real thing.
Time to join the body to the head section. Hot glue and upholstery tacks make a strong bond.
With this last layer of pulp and I think the face is complete.
Next job will be making some hands.
For these I managed to find a nice offcut of Lime wood that was the right sort of shape.
I never throw out anything that might be usable in the future. Hoarding is useful sometimes.
As a general rule I don't like perfectly symmetrical puppet faces ...but I might have gone a bit too far this time with Trudis eyes.
Fortunately with the glasses and her hair fringe her eyes are not seen at all.
So all is well.
These parts are just placed on for a look, she needs to be varnished before I can glue them on peremenantly.
Body padding is the next job, to round her out before clothing can be added.
It is pointless making every item of clothing on a 'layered' costume.
You only need to hint at the parts that are visible.
Here a T-shirt and warm Gillet are hinted at with the bare minimum of fabrics.
Now the paint and varnish are fully dry the glasses can finally be glued into place.
Nice to get Trudis mini microphone made and fixed into position too.
With the headgear in place, her hair can now be permanently glued on too.
Now a little trip to the hair salon for a trim.
The most complex part of her costume is still to come ... the waterproof jacket.
Starting with the sleeves, I decide to work in two different blue fabrics for a two-tone look.
This costume turned out to be very time consuming and fiddly. Well worth it though.
I'm very pleased with the look of realism to two fabrics bring to the jacket.
The next part is vital, Trudi is never seen without her emergency First Aid Kit.
Trudi is a champion of the Punch Show - she always pins her badges to her sweatshirt or jacket and tells families the show times and not to miss it.
I've promised Trudi a sash for a couple of seasons now, so that she can put the Punch badges on it to save getting holes in her uniform.
Of course it will mean a puppet sized sash too!
Printing off miniature versions of the badges was the easy part. Having glued them onto blank buttons, I then covered them in quick drying clear(ish) resin to make them waterproof.
A full sized sash for the real Trudi, and a miniature one for the puppet version.
Very nearly done.
Just her personal P.A system speaker to make in plywood.
I have to say I am very pleased with the result. Even better, I've heard on the grapevine that Trudi is overjoyed with how her puppet turned out. Fantastic news !
I can't wait till July, when I can get a proper photo of the two of them together.
But for now here's a photoshop mash-up.
To finish, here's a video of me early on in the building process, getting quite excited because I can already see what a fun character she is going to be to use in the show !
