Handspring Puppet Co.

Handspring Puppet Company was founded in 1981 in Cape Town, South Africa and has grown under the leadership of Artistic Director Adrian Kohler and Executive Producer Basil Jones over 40 years. Handspring’s work has been presented in more than 30 countries around the world.

The company is widely recognised as South Africa’s pre-eminent puppet theatre company with work spanning four decades of creating theatre for adults and children.  

Handspring’s work has established its signature of artistic excellence through the use of finely crafted puppets within a live theatrical context. The marriage of the disciplines of Fine Art and Theatre is at the heart of the discipline of puppetry in general and Handspring’s work in particular.

The runaway hit play War Horse, produced by the National Theatre in London, has established Handspring as one of the most influential puppet companies in the world. This success has afforded the company the opportunity to further develop the art form they are so passionate about.


-- Quaternaire represents Handspring Puppet Company worldwide (except South Africa).

Upcoming dates

Date Spectacle Lieu Ville Pays
2025-03-01 00:00:00-2025-03-22 00:00:002025-03-01 00:00:00 2025-03-22 00:00:00 Faustus in Africa! - 2025 The Baxter Theatre Cape Town South Africa

Past dates

Date Spectacle Lieu Ville Pays
2024-08-29 00:00:00-2024-08-31 00:00:002024-08-29 00:00:00 2024-08-31 00:00:00 Celebration Parade Ruhrtriennale Festival Gelsenkirchen Germany
2024-03-08 00:00:00-2024-03-11 00:00:002024-03-08 00:00:00 2024-03-11 00:00:00 Celebration Parade WOMADelaide Botanic Park - Tainmuntilla Adelaide Australia
2019-04-18 00:00:00-2019-04-19 00:00:002019-04-18 00:00:00 2019-04-19 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Opéra Royal Versailles France
2019-03-29 00:00:00-2019-04-03 00:00:002019-03-29 00:00:00 2019-04-03 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Maison de la Danse Lyon France
2019-03-23 00:00:00-2019-03-24 00:00:002019-03-23 00:00:00 2019-03-24 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Opéra de Vichy Vichy France
2019-02-07 00:00:00-2019-02-10 00:00:002019-02-07 00:00:00 2019-02-10 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Teatro Massimo Palermo Italy
2016-11-14 00:00:00-2016-11-16 00:00:002016-11-14 00:00:00 2016-11-16 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Lincoln Center for the Preforming Arts New York USA
2016-05-28 00:00:00-2016-05-29 00:00:002016-05-28 00:00:00 2016-05-29 00:00:00 Il Ritorno d'Ulisse Asia Culture Center, Asian Arts Theatre Gwangju South Korea