The Puppet Theatre Barge was opened to the public in 1982 at Camden Lock in North London. In 1988, the barge moved to the basin at Little Venice, near Paddington, where it is still currently moored. It is a unique, fifty-seat marionette theatre presenting wonderfully creative and engaging puppet shows for children and adults, and travels to Richmond-upon-Thames during the summer. The costs are covered by the team and some revenue comes in from the shows but we urgently need to do maintenance work to keep the boat on the water, refurbish and upgrade the interior and exterior, and be able to continue telling tales with puppets.

What we'll deliver:

• refurbish upholstered seats
• have a new Puppet Theatre Barge exterior sign designed and made
• have new awnings designed and fitted
• have new PVC covers designed and fitted
• inspect the hull and carry out necessary maintenance work (eg. painting, over-plating, spot welding)

Why it's a great idea:

The Puppet Theatre Barge is one of the three permanent marionette bridge stages in England - a form of staging that allows marionette performances to be enacted with the performers hidden, and this company is the only one to specialise in this form of puppetry in England. The marionette theatre is a unique form of puppetry because of the lack of human presence on stage, which allows audiences to immerse themselves in a world created by carved figures, lights and sounds. The medium allows room for the suspension of disbelief: spiders can talk, bodies can come apart at the seams and pigs can even fly. This type of theatre requires all elements to be in accord, including the venue. The audiences leave dry land and come aboard a boat to see a puppet show of innovative quality.

Steps to get it done:

• Taking the barge out of the water for hull inspection and repairs
• cleaning upholstered seats
• designing a new Puppet Theatre Barge sign
• designing and purchasing new awning and canvases for the exterior

Rewards for pledges

Those pledging anything between £5 - £24 will receive a surprise postcard in the post.

Those pledging £25 qualify for a complimentary ticket (worth £12) to see a show of their choice.

Those pledging £50 qualify for two complimentary tickets (worth £24).

Those pledging £75 qualify for three complimentary tickets (worth £36)

Those pledging £100 or more will be invited to a private party at The Puppet Theatre Barge to celebrate the achievement once all work has been completed.

Those pledging £1,000 or more qualify for a private party at The Puppet Theatre Barge including a puppet show and hire of the venue after. Perfect for staff parties, birthday parties and all types of celebrations.