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第二回下北沢国際人形劇祭

Date 2026/02/17(Tue) ~ 2026/02/23(Mon)
Period of Sale 2025/12/06(Sat) 12:00 ~ 2026/02/23(Mon) 16:00
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overview

Technique and Magic: A New Puppet Show

Welcome to the second Shimokitazawa International Puppet Festival! This is seven days of some of the most exciting puppet shows in the world. Puppetry is a field of freedom, creativity, and exceptional talent. For centuries, puppetry has flourished on the periphery, rather than at the center, and the ideas and critical spirit it embodies can surely help us all live our lives. The puppetry festival is based on punk, feminism, anti-totalitarianism, and anti-authoritarianism. In other words, it is rooted in the spirit that puppetry has cultivated in the shadows for hundreds of years.

 

The great thing about puppetry is that anyone, even just one person, can start. No money or friends are needed. "Are you playing with puppets by yourself again?" (Bristol puppeteer Dick Downey) A boy who was bullied at school would always converse with a stuffed mouse at home (Berlin puppeteer Ariel Delon) Most of the world's great puppet shows are crafted in this way, quietly and alone. Beyond these hidden creations lie masterpieces that resonate worldwide. The Shimokitazawa International Puppet Festival is a place where such solitary talents come together.

 

Why not join us for seven days at the end of winter, sharing your solitude and creativity to enjoy some fascinating puppet shows? You're sure to find like-minded people. Here, performers, spectators, helpers, and observers from afar are all part of the same "puppeteer." We look forward to seeing truly fascinating works, a cool space, delicious breakfast, and many other "puppeteers."

https://www.sipf.jp

■ Puppet theatre and object theatre are attracting renewed attention worldwide

Amidst the trends towards anti-anthropocentrism and the posthuman, puppet theatre is once again at the forefront of the arts in Europe and Asia. Ten leading theatre companies from across Europe and Asia will be coming to Japan all at once to introduce the latest in contemporary and stimulating forms of puppet theatre/object theatre.

 

■ Diverse Programs

In addition to performances of officially invited works at The Suzunari, there will be a number of peripheral programs that allow you to experience the multi-layered appeal of puppet theater and object theater.

● Official Invited Companies List

・Compagnie Tchaika Chile/Belgium
・DAMUZA + Fekete Seretlek Czech Republic/Slovenia
・Compagnie Singe Diesel Argentina/France
・Divadlo Drak (Drak Theatre) Czech Republic
・Tangram Kollektiv (Tangram Collective) Germany/France
・Drew Colby (Drew Colby) United Kingdom
・Compagnie Bakelite (Company Bakelite) France
・Divadlo Alfa (Alfa Theatre) Czech Republic

● International Puppet Slam (paid)

A gathering of experimental short works by young artists from Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan.
A showcase where you can experience the creations of a new generation of artists.

● Contemporary European Puppet Shows for Children (Free)

Free performances of works for children by European artists from Slovenia and other countries.

● Introductory Object Theatre Workshop (Paid)

A valuable practical workshop by a leading expert in the field in Europe.

● Breakfast Puppet Club (Free)

An interactive event where artists, staff, and audience members gather around the same table every morning for breakfast and discuss the work.

● Daily Journal (Audience Participation)

A daily festival journal with audience participation, published every day during the festival. Criticisms of the main works will be contributed by students studying art criticism and distributed free of charge using the eco-friendly printing medium "Risograf."

● SIPF Square (free admission)

During the three-day weekend during the festival (February 21st-23rd), a special SIPF festival square will be open at BONUSTRACK, where you can enjoy performances, workshops, food and market stalls, and more all day long.

 Main Program 

"The Seagull"

Compagnie Tchaika
Chile/Belgium
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 16:00- / 20:00-

A milestone in magical, virtuoso technique for life-size puppets

An extreme one-woman show by the talented Chilean puppeteer, Tita Iacobelli. A legendary actress nearing retirement must play the role of Arkadina in Chekhov's "The Seagull" for the last time, but as the role and her own life gradually become intertwined, she finds herself falling into chaos... Although this is one of the company's signature works, it had already been shelved to allow them to focus on future creative endeavors, but it has now been specially staged for the Shimokitazawa International Puppet Festival. This will likely be your last chance, so don't miss it!

Winner of the 2018 Chilean Art Critics Association Award for Best Play and Best Actress
Winner of the 2020 Belgian Maeterlinck Critics Award for Best Solo Performance

 

Key words for those who can't decide which one to see

#ChileanChekhov#Life-sizePuppet#ExtremeSoloPlay#TheBoundaryBetweenPuppet and Human#The company's first and most iconic work#Only here in the world

 

Running time: 50 minutes
Language: Spanish (with Japanese subtitles)
Ages: 12 and up

"EXIT"

DAMUZA + Fekete Seretlek (Damuza + Fekete Seretlek)
Czech Republic/Slovenia
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 4:00 PM - / 8:00 PM -

 

A perfect example of Czech Object Theatre

At the first Shimokitazawa International Puppet Festival, the six-person team mesmerized adults and children alike with their dazzling object cabaret based on "Anna Karenina," which captivated audiences with comments like, "I don't understand it at all, but it's so entertaining." Now they're back with an even cooler new production! This stunning puppet show intertwines the sounds and movements of objects with live folk electronica. Entering the airport-like theater space, audience members are guided to their seats by flight attendants in black uniforms. Enter the world of Andersen's tales ("Shadow," "The Emperor's New Clothes," and "Little Ida's Flowers") at the speed of a plane!

 

Keywords for those who are unsure which one to see

#Andersen #ObjectTheatre #Puppet show by the cool kids of Prague for the cool kids of Tokyo #Live folk and electronica performance #Alumni of the Puppet Theatre Department of the Academy of Arts in Prague

 

Show duration: 60 minutes
Language: Czech (with Japanese subtitles)
Recommended ages: 10 and up

"KAZU"

Compagnie Singe Diesel
Argentina / France
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 4:00 PM - / 8:00 PM -
 

Magic realism that only puppetry can create

Born into a family that ran a small theater in Buenos Aires, Juan Pérez Escala spent his childhood watching street puppet shows. This brilliant, charismatic puppeteer tells a series of very short, tiny, yet powerful stories through his 20 puppets. The story employs the "microcuentos" (ultra-short stories) format, which became popular in South America during the COVID-19 pandemic. These short stories restore reality to its dreamlike beauty, and shrink the melancholy and madness of everyday life. This is the kind of magical realism that only puppetry can create.

 

Keywords for those who are not sure which one to watch

 

#From the Streets of Buenos Aires#20 Tabletop Puppets#Microcuentos (Short Shorts)#Magic Realism#Beauty!

Show duration: 60 minutes
Language: Spanish (Japanese subtitles)
Ages: 12 and up

"The White Fang"

Divadlo Drak (Drak Theatre)
Czech Republic
Friday, February 20, 2026, 3:00 PM - / 7:00 PM - 

 

A puppeteer's cameramanship: the ideal form of live cinema

This is the masterpiece of recent years by the prestigious Drak Theatre, a leading Czech puppet theater company alongside Alfa Theatre. This exhilarating puppet show, a fast-paced and poetic adaptation of Jack London's novel "The White Fang," takes place in the wilderness of the far north. Milan Hein, in the lead role, perfectly and captivatingly fulfills his complex and multilayered roles: (1) actor playing the wolfdog, (2) puppeteer controlling the wolfdog's camera, and (3) cameraman for the live cinematography from the wolfdog's point of view. The live jazz piano is performed by Vyschofried, who has been composing music for the Drak Theatre since 1968. He is a living legend.

 

Keywords for those who are unsure which one to watch

 

#JackLondon#FarNorth#LiveVideoFromTheWolf'sEyeView#Called"TheCleverestUseOfAcameraOnStage"#RealSnowBlocksNeedToBeProcuredFromSomewhereInJapan

 

Showtime: 60 minutes
Language: Nonverbal
Ages: 12 and up

(1) "Schattenwerfer: The Shadow Shop of Things"

Tangram Kollektiv
Germany

(2) "Shadowgraphy: The Shadow Shop of Hands"

Drew Colby
UK
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 3:00 PM - / 7:00 PM - 

 

This is the cutting edge of shadow puppetry! Two companies from Germany and the UK at once

One is a young collective from Germany, the other is an entertainer from the UK, and this is a super fun double feature of shadow puppetry. Shadow puppetry occupies a large part of the realm of puppetry, and these two works are unrivaled in their groundbreaking techniques and ideas. It's almost magical to watch these two creative women bring out the full potential of "objects" and their shadows. And what's with this cheerful gentleman who's a little too good at shadow puppetry? When we peer into the depths of the shadow puppetry, of course, there is a shadow behind us. Let's start living life with renewed energy, dragging our shadows along with us tomorrow! This is a production that will delight children and inspire adults.

 

*As this is a double feature, there will be a break between performances (the break time is undecided. Please check the website for the latest information). During the break, be sure to enjoy some delicious drinks and snacks at the Festival Center & BAR, a five-minute walk from the theater.

 

Keywords for those who can't decide which one to see

 

#Object Theater & Shadow Puppetry #Everyday Items Go Wild #The Pinnacle of Shadow Puppetry Technique #The Possibilities of a Flashlight #An Old Man Who's So Good at Shadow Puppetry You Can Feel His Punk Spirit #Children Welcome

 

Showtime: 75 minutes in total. Double feature ((1) 35 minutes, intermission undecided, (2) 40 minutes)
Language: Non-verbal
Ages: 5 and up

Dangerous Liaisons, Invaders

Compagnie Bakelite
France
Sunday, February 22, 2026, 16:00- / 20:00-
 

The home of French object theatre

A man arrives at a fancy restaurant. A chic table is set before him, topped with a pure white tablecloth. Just as the man is excited about the wonderful evening ahead, a clumsy waiter, or rather a robot vacuum cleaner, appears before him. Stab or be stabbed (the fork in the pasta), extinguish or be extinguished (the candle), uncork or be uncorked (the wine bottle). A nail-biting battle! Will the man get his dinner? A hilarious double feature from a company that is a leader in French object theatre.

 

a timeless satire on catering at its worst

"A timeless satire on the worst waiters."

 Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman

 

will we all end up with spaghetti sauce on our knees?"

"Will we all end up with spaghetti sauce on our knees?"

 Fergus Morgan, The Stage

 

Keywords for those who can't decide what to see

 

#The "orthodox" form of object theatre from France #A kind of robot theatre #Slapstick comedy #ForFoodies #GreatRestaurants

 

Running time: 65 minutes total, double feature ((1) 25 minutes, 30 minute break, (2) 30 minute)
Language: Non-verbal
Ages: 8 and up

"Doctor Faust" and "Don Juan"

Divadlo Alfa (Alfa Theatre)
Czech Republic
Monday, February 23, 2026 (National Holiday) 14:30- / 17:00- 

An enduring repertoire in the history of Central European puppet theater

Alfa Theatre is one of ten public puppet theaters in the Czech Republic and a leading figure in the Czech puppet theater world. Its director, Tomáš Dvořák, is a legend in the Czech puppet theater world, a master with a beer belly and a white beard who has created the Alfa Theatre's unique, unforgettable humor and dandyism. What makes Alfa Theatre so fascinating? Why does it attract the endless admiration of young people, despite the fact that they are a group of outlaws who drink 4-5 liters of beer per person every night, cause bloodbaths, and wake up to sheep dung scattered all over the stage in the morning? The answer will become clear at the theater.

 

Keywords for those who can't decide which one to see

 

#The entrance to the Czech puppet theater world #A representative performance of 19th-century traveling puppet theater #The old men of Pilsen, the home of Pilsner beer #The origins of object theater #Švankmajer-style collage

 

Show time: 75 minutes in total, double feature ((1) 30 minutes, 15-minute break, (2) 30 minutes)
Language: Czech (with Japanese subtitles)
Age: 10 years and up

Part of this page is translated by machine translation API.
You can see the original information(Japanese).

Event and ticketing information

  • Location ザ・スズナリ (東京都 特別区部)
    Access »
  • Date 2026/02/17(Tue) ~ 2026/02/23(Mon)
  • Price 2,000 JPY ~ 4,200 JPY(tax included)
  • Contact 下北沢国際人形劇祭
    TEL: 03-4213-4293 (Only in Japanese.)
  • Organizer
  • Period of Sale 2025/12/06(Sat) 12:00 ~ 2026/02/23(Mon) 16:00


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    Past related ticket List

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