Comedy puppet plays

One thing that’s been especially unusual at Ministry of Stories HQ over the last few months has been the eery silence…

We’re missing the sound of the Chief clattering in his office, hearing the animated chatter between young people and mentors as they craft their ideas, but most of all we miss their laughter and excitement as they share the stories they have created with us. Which is why we worked with comedy writer-performer Gem Ahmet to create our latest unexpected ‘Letterbox Surprise’ delivered to our young writers’ homes.

Box puppet letterbox surprises

We thought we could all use a bit of a laugh right now (as well as some time away from a screen), so in honour of National Writing Day we are inviting you to join our young people in creating some comedy puppet plays at home. Your challenge – to make two box puppets and then use them to create your own short comedy plays. You can even film them on a smartphone to share with friends and family.

All you’ll need is a couple of pieces of A4 paper or card, some glue or double sided tape, some scissors, a pen and most importantly your imagination!

1. Make your box puppets. 

Watch our video on how to make your box puppet characters or download instructions.

2. Write a 2 minute comedy play!

You can write about anything you like, but if you don’t know where to start here’s a tip to creating easy comedy scenes:

• Write a short ‘boring’ scene using a situation you know (like a doctor/patient, teacher/student, presenters on TV, or influencers on YouTube).
• Next, change ONE thing in that scene to make it strange, silly or unexpected. This will help you create comedy. Here’s a doctor scene as an example.

3. Now – practice your play!

Try your script out and find a place to perform. Maybe use something you can duck behind like a table, chair or large box. Also, if you are filming this where will your camera or smartphone be placed? Will someone hold it for you?

4. Perform your play for your family or record it!
Let everyone know when they can watch your play. You could even make a poster to advertise it. If you are using a smartphone you can use the existing record function or there are some free movie-making apps such as iMovie, VidTrim or WeVideo. These will let you add titles and sound effects.

You’re welcome to send your films or scripts to us by emailing writing@ministryofstories.org.