Bringing Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s lion book, The Lion Inside to life required the skill and dedication of master puppet makers. When the show was being created, Nicoll Entertainment worked with the talented team at Unit 9 puppet workshop to create the lion and the mouse. The teams had already collaborated on the Dinosaur World Live and Dragons and Mythical Beasts Live shows, bringing lifelike creatures to the stage. 

The challenge with The Lion Inside was slightly different. For this production, the characters had to be instantly recognisable as those from the book while being easy and lightweight enough to operate. That meant the lead designers, Max Humphries and Cheryl ‘Chuck’ Brown, had to construct the puppets carefully and copy Jim Field’s illustrative style. Here, we take a look at Chuck Brown’s role in the process and her previous theatre credits. 

Puppet designer and fabricator

Chuck joined the Unit 9 puppet workshop full time in 2021, having spent 16 years as a freelance puppet designer and fabricator. She works closely with her co-Studio Head Max Humphries on creating the characters you see on stage. While Max focuses on the internal workings of the puppets - the cogs, levers and handles that create movement - Chuck’s job is to sculpt the character around these mechanisms. For The Lion Inside, she had to pay close attention to the illustrations in the book, ensuring the puppets looked exactly right.

Chuck uses a range of materials for her work - from plywood and a type of foam called Plastazote to latex and fabric - as well as a variety of techniques to ensure that each puppet looks the part. She is skilled in sculpting, painting and sewing, and has an eye for detail that brings the characters to life. Choosing the right textures and colours was important to ensure the world of Rachel Bright and Jim Field could be recreated faithfully. It’s this that makes families feel like they’re stepping right into the brave lion book. 

The Lion Inside has toured the UK, and being on the road means the puppets are packed, unpacked and operated extensively. It’s not surprising, then, that they suffer a little damage sometimes. Chuck is responsible for overseeing their maintenance, ensuring her team repairs them seamlessly with perfect colour matching. 

Previous work

Before working on The Lion Inside, Chuck designed puppets for theatre shows including Madagascar the Musical (Sellardoor), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (360 Theatre & Elliot Harper), Don Quixote (Royal Shakespeare Company) and Luzia (Cirque du Soleil). Her screen credits include Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix).

See Chuck’s work come to life

If you’ve been inspired by Chuck, why not see The Lion Inside on stage this April? Bringing the lion and the mouse book to life with songs, dancing and interactive moments, the show is playing at the Southbank Centre in London, delighting adults and children alike with its charm. With a run time of just 55 minutes with no interval, it’s ideal for kids aged three and up. Book your tickets today to see Chuck’s work in action.