Brian Herring

Theatre

Having grown up in and around the theatre Brian has a great love of live performance.  Working mainly in children’s theatre Brian has toured nationally and been involved in a pantomime every year since 1984 either as performer, writer, director, puppet coordinator or co-producer!

He was resident pantomime writer for Harlow Playhouse from 1992 to 2005 when he went to work for the critically acclaimed Hiss & Boo Company.  He also played the title role in Pandora’s Box Theatre Company’s production of Burglar Bill.

In 2005 the Scissor Sisters opened the 25th Brit Awards with a crowd pleasing puppet number featuring a giant pink bird, a dancing barn and eight singing watermelons.  Brian was two of those melons!  For footage of the show click here.  They returned two years later with a black box Japanese bunraku-style show.  Involving over 30 performers dressed head to toe in black, manipulating floating props and the artists false legs.  Performed in front of a capacity crowd at London’s Earl’s Court and broadcast live around the world, this show was one of the highlights of Brian’s career.  Click here to see the show!

Little Shop of Horrorsis the perfect show to combine Brian’s love of live performance and his skills as a puppeteer.  After appearing in several productions both in the UK and in America, Brian joined the Menier Chocolate Factory’s 2007 West End production at the Duke of York’s Theatre as cover for regular puppeteer Andy Heath.  He returned to the show for the national tour in 2009 and will be plunging back into the ‘mean green mother from outerspace’ as both performer and puppet consultant in August 2010 in a new production at Birmingham Rep.