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For Ingrid Hansen, puppetry is “immediate and intimate” magic – a chance to take audiences into vivid worlds where tiny puppets come to life and rule the stage.
See Hansen’s imagination and talent at work as she brings two distinct shows to Courtenay on November 22 and 23. Epidermis Circus and The Baby Tyler Show, mix whimsy, humour, sass and charm as part of the Blue Circle Series and Centre Stage Series presented by the Sid Williams Theatre Society. A unique blend of theatre, puppetry and live film, the shows will dazzle adults and children, alike.
“I have a camera, a projector and a table set with tiny miniatures and puppets, and I create a live film,” Hansen explains. As she animates cheeky vignettes in the palm of her hand, crafty camera angles and mirrors transform her hands, fingers and even her tongue into a riveting cast of characters and project them onto a massive screen.
Each show offers a different experience tailored to its audience. Epidermis Circus is a spicy cabaret meant for adults, in which a saucy grandma character hosts an old-time variety show, providing hilarious, at times envious, commentary that often results with “her foot in her mouth.” The lineup of outrageous acts explores themes of aging and the quirks of the human body.
In The Baby Tyler Show, Hansen introduces younger viewers to Baby Tyler, “a little mischievous scamp and all of his adventures,” along with an eclectic gang of gummy bears and a curious ball of clay discovering the world.
Beyond the laughs and visual spectacle, Hansen weaves thoughtful messages into each show. Epidermis Circus celebrates the human form in all its “hilarious and gross” beauty while it joyfully explores and marvels at the simple wonder of being alive.
The Baby Tyler Show’s theme is one of resilience and the courage to ask for help. “Baby Tyler gets into so much trouble that he realizes he actually does need help,” Hansen notes, adding, “I think a lot of grownups can actually relate to it.”
Hansen’s unique take on puppetry stretches back to her childhood, where she created homemade TV shows using her grandmother’s old VHS camcorder and a collection of teddy bears. “We couldn’t edit anything, so we had to shoot everything sequentially from start to finish,” she says. “If we needed to redo something, we had to rewind the VHS and re-tape over the bad part.”
This early creative play led her to pursue acting and dance training before finding her way back to puppetry, a medium she describes as both intimate and immediate.
Her style invites the audience into a shared space of belief and imagination. “In many ways, I’m not pretending to be anybody that I’m not. I’m myself up on stage, but I’m making these strange worlds come to life. We’re all together, buying into believing in these worlds existing.... It feels like these little creatures are maybe more alive than anything.”
Hansen’s performance is more than a show – it’s a behind-the-scenes journey. Audiences watch her hands, voice and expressions orchestrate the world of puppetry in real time. “I’m kind of like a mad scientist up there,” she laughs. Viewers can choose to focus on the puppets, the projection screen or Hansen herself as she brings these intricate worlds to life, creating a layered experience that’s both relatable and captivating.
Hansen says her approach often sparks viewers’ curiosity. “I see people in the audience watching and they’ve got their hand up in front of their face and they’re kind of stretching their fingers, trying to figure out how baby Tyler moves like this and like that…it’s really funny.”
This interactive quality also extends to her adult shows. She recalls an audience member laughing so hard during Epidermis Circus that she continuously shouted, “What are we watching?!” For Hansen, audience reactions like these are the ultimate reward.
Touring her shows lets her connect with audiences worldwide. Her mostly nonverbal storytelling style makes her work accessible across language and cultural barriers. She’s toured in France, Belgium, the US and Mexico this year alone, with shows in Estonia and Denmark on the horizon.
In addition to performing her own shows, Hansen has become a notable figure in children’s entertainment. She puppeteers and voices Heart, a lovable, fridge-sized orange monster on Helpsters (Sesame Workshop/Apple TV+), and performs with the Jim Henson Company in their Fraggle Rock reboot. Other credits include choreographing and performing on Miss Persona (Amazon/Treehouse TV) and acting as lead puppeteer on Tiga Talk for APTN.
Whether it’s adults crying with laughter at Epidermis Circus or kids enchanted by Baby Tyler, Hansen’s work invites audiences into worlds of delightful peculiarities, meaningful insights and boundless possibilities.
Step into a realm of hilarity and wonder – get tickets now!