The Mousehole Cat

A puppet show for any age from 4 to very grown-up

by PuppetCraft

 Based on the award winning book.  
Text ©1990 Antonia Barber. Illustrations ©1990 Nicola Bayley.  Published by Walker Books Ltd. 

Inspired by an old folk legend the story tells of the Cornish village of Mousehole where a storm has been raging for weeks...

Everyone is hungry as the boats cannot leave the harbour to fish…
so old Tom the fisherman and his cat Mowzer set out to sea in their tiny boat, braving the fury of the Great Storm-Cat…
to try and save the village.

This charming tale, which is still celebrated each year in the village of Mousehole,
is brought to life by carved wooden puppets,
coloured shadows, live music, song and a beautiful set.

Feel free to enquire about bookings.  

Puppeteers bring Mousehole Cat alive

There is only one way to see a puppet show, and that’s to see it surrounded by children. It was good to see the theatre packed to the gunnels for PuppetCraft’s production of “The Mousehole Cat”.

Based on the award winning  children’s book by Antonia Barber, set against a backdrop of  the village of Mousehole which for visual appeal came close to matching Nicola Bayley’s original illustrations and told through the miaowing and purring of Mowzer the Cat, from start to finish it grabbed everyone - of whatever age, from four years old upward - in a paw-like grip, matched only by that of the Great Storm Cat’s.

Using a mix of carved wooden puppets, coloured shadows, live music, song and sound effects the puppeteers brought to life the legendary Tom Bawcock, who saved the villagers of Mousehole from starvation by putting to sea in a fearsome gale on the day before Christmas Eve and catching seven sorts of fish, enough for everyone to make and enjoy a life-saving, local delicacy - starry gazey pie.

Laced with good humour, from orchestrated audience participation.... the chorus of “starry gazey pie”, the singing and the dancing, to the unrehearsed, spontaneous cries of pleasure, the Devon-based company PuppetCraft, which has been performing nationally and internationally for the past decade, did more than enough to convince all concerned that as the song says, Mousehole is, indeed a merry place to be on Tom Bawcock’s Eve.

The Cornishman Newspaper.  

FOR PUBLICITY.
These credits must be used:
The Mousehole Cat
A puppet show for any age from 4 to very grown-up
by PuppetCraft

Based on the award winning book
Text ©1990 Antonia Barber.
Illustrations ©1990 Nicola Bayley.
Published by Walker Books Ltd.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the illustration is used please print this credit:
Illustration © Nicola Bayley

Illustration
Click on drawing for a large download: 2.89MB

Tom and Mowzer
Click on picture for a large download: 650KB

Sunday's Dish -Star-Gazy Pie Recipe.

Pilchards in Pastry

• Shortcrust pastry made with 10 oz plain flour
• 8 pilchards, sardines or small herrings
• Salt, pepper
• 1 large chopped onion
• Approx. 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3 hard-bailed eggs
• 3 rashers streaky bacon
• Beaten egg to glaze
  
  Roll out pasty far double-crust plate pie. Cover the plate.
  Brush the rim with water and roll out another piece for the lid. Keep it aside.
  
  Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200C (400F)
  
  Clean and bone the fish, leaving their heads in place. Season inside and stuff with finely chopped onion and parsley.
  Fold back into shape.
  
  Lay the fish an the pasty like the spokes of a wheel with their heads on the rim so that they can gaze upwards.
  Fill the gaps in between with chopped bacon and hard boiled eggs.
  Put the pastry lid in place, pressing dawn between the fish heads so that it meets the pasty of the lower rim, making a wavy effect. Brush with beaten egg.
  
  Bake for 30 minutes, though if the fish are on the large side be prepared to give them
  15 minutes more at the reduced heat of gas 4, 180C (350F).

Serve hot.

Recipe supplied by Felicity Sylvester, Appledore Festival.