Finn Caldwell
DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR OF PUPPETRY AND MOVEMENT
Finn originally trained at Guildhall School of Music & Drama as an actor before becoming a long-term associate of Handspring Puppet Company, having been one of the original puppeteers on the show WARHORSE. He is co-artistic director of Gyre & Gimble, a theatre company specialising in puppetry. Finn won the Olivier Award 2022 for Best Set Design and was nominated for Best Theatre Choreographer for his work on The Life of Pi. Credits include:
LIFE OF PI
US Transfer to Boston, ART & Broadway
Nominated for 5 2023 Tony Awards including Best Costume Design for Finn
LIFE OF PI
West End & UK Tour
Movement & Puppetry Director / Puppetry Co-Designer
Sheffield Crucible / Simon Friend Productions
Winner of 5 Olivier Awards including Best Design for Finn
★★★★★ ★★★★★
‘This is a hit’ – The Times ‘Transformative…’ – The Guardian
★★★★★
‘A production that astonishes and delights by its colour, visual effects and puppetry’ – WhatsOnStage
★★★★★
‘Pure theatrical magic…Caldwell and Barnes’ puppets are works of art.’ – The Stage
GROUNDHOG DAY
Additional Movement
Old Vic, Broadway & Australia
THE LORAX: IN CAMERA
Old Vic: Streaming
THE WICKER HUSBAND
The Watermill Theatre
Puppetry Designer and Director
THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE
National Theatre, West End & UK tour
Puppetry Director
THE LIFE OF PI
Sheffield Crucible
Movement & Puppetry Director / Puppetry Co-Designer
Sheffield Crucible / Simon Friend Productions
EX MACHINA
Director & Puppetry Designer/Director
NIDA
THE FOUR SEASONS
Co-Director / Co-Designer with Toby Olie
Globe Theatre, London
★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★
The Times Guardian Financial Times BroadwayWorldUK
“Transfixing” Financial Times “Ingenious…music and action come together immaculately.” The Guardian
“Some of the most magical and moving puppeteering you will get to see…a remarkable evening.” The Times
“This has dramatically transformed for me what is possible with the medium.” Exeunt Magazine
“This vastly skilled team imbue every tiny, sensitive movement with meaning and feeling.”
The Independent
DR SEUSS’S THE LORAX
Puppetry Director/Co-Designer
Minneapolis Children’s Theatre and Old Globe, San Diego revival
THE FOUR SEASONS
Co-Director / Co-Designer with Toby Olie
Globe Theatre, London
ANGELS IN AMERICA
Puppetry Co-Designer and Puppetry director
Broadway transfer of the acclaimed National
Theatre production
THE GRINNING MAN
Puppetry co-director/designer
Revival in London’s West End
DR SEUSS’S THE LORAX
Puppetry Director/Co-Designer
Revival: Old Vic Theatre & Toronto
THE HARTLEPOOL MONKEY
Co-Director / Co-Designer with Toby Olie
Gyre & Gimble / Fuel Theatre UK Tour
“Highly skilful, slick and unsettling. The monkey naturally becomes the star of the show. The puppetry is deft and detailed.” The Stage
‘The monkey is oddly, heartbreakingly human; it is the humans who behave like animals.” The Guardian
ANGELS IN AMERICA
Puppetry Co-Designer and Puppetry director
National Theatre, London
THE FIRST HIPPO ON THE MOON
Co-Director / Co-Designer with Nick Barnes
Les Enfants Terrible
UK Tour
THE GRINNING MAN
Puppetry co-director/designer
Bristol Old Vic
THE TEMPEST
Puppetry co-director/designer
Birmingham Royal Ballet
RUNNING WILD
Puppetry Co-Director
Stage adaptation of the Michael Morpurgo novel
Regents Park Open Air – Revival
★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
The Times Daily Telegraph Time Out Evening Standard
“The highlight of this show is the magnificent puppets…things of never-ending beauty.”
Evening Standard
“The puppetry is exquisite, with full-sized animals manipulated so they seem to breathe with documentary life.” Time Out
DR SEUSS’S THE LORAX
Puppetry Director/Co-Designer
Old Vic Theatre
★★★★★ ★★★★
“The best family show since Matilda” The Guardian “Inventive, gorgeous and magical” The Times
★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
The Observer Independent Time Out
★★★★ ★★★★
‘…a theatrical delight’ The Mail on Sunday ‘joyous’ Financial Times
★★★★
‘spectacular’ The Sunday Times
ARIODANTE
Puppetry Director
Festival d’Aix en Provence / Canadian Opera
THE BEAR
Puppetry Director/Co-Designer
Pins and Needles
RUNNING WILD
Puppetry Co-Director
Stage adaptation of the Michael Morpurgo novel
Chichester Festival Theatre
ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDERGROUND / ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
Puppetry Director
Emma Brunjes Productions @ The Vaults, Waterloo
LARDO
Director
Old Red Lion Theatre / Metal Rabbit
THE ELEPHANTOM
Co-Director with Toby Olié
National Theatre, Shed Space
& West End Transfer
★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
‘…it’s Elephantastic.’ Mumsnet ‘…another hit…’ Telegraph ‘…full of wit and cheek’ Guardian
★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
‘Wonderful. Anarchic.’ Sunday Times ‘…gloriously unsentimental’ Time Out ‘delight for kids and adults alike.’ Evening Standard
★★★★ ★★★★
‘Full of fun. Magical’ The Times ‘Mischievous’ Financial Times
★★★★
‘…big, elephant-sized heart.’ Daily Mail
THE LIGHT PRINCESS
Puppetry & Movement Director
National Theatre
WAR HORSE
Associate Puppetry Director
National Theatre/Handspring
New London Theatre & Internationally
DREAM SPACE
Puppetry Consultant
Shakespeare’s Globe
RUBIES IN THE ATTIC
The Ruby Dolls, Puppetry Director
Riverside Studios & Tour
SHREK
Puppetry Consultant
Playful Productions
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
A MIDSUMMERS’ DREAM
Puppetry Director
National Theatre, National Tour
SWINE
Movement Director
National Theatre Studio
LOWLIFE
Recast Puppetry Director
Blind Summit Theatre
LIMF & International Tour
TOM THUMB
Puppetry Director
Blue Scream Theatre
Purcell Room & International Tour
Winner: Edinburgh Fringe First Award
Film Credits include:
ALICE – Dir. Marianne Elliot
Short, Ruby Films
Director of stage production within film
THE SUICIDE BROTHERS
Short, Beat Pictures
Puppetry Director
Starring Keira Knightley
Credits as performer include:
THE DOG’S HEART (Complicité / La Scala); WARHORSE (Puppeteer – National Theatre); LOW LIFE (Puppeteer – LIMF / BAC); MADAM BUTTERFLY (Puppeteer – ENO); BRIGHTON ROCK (Chorus – Almeida); HAMLET, JULIUS CAESAR, DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS (RSC); ELEPHANT (Joseph Merrick – BAC); MACBETH (Lennox – Albery Theatre); ROMEO AND JULIET (The Prince – Northcott, Exeter); ANTIGONE (Chorus – Old Vic)
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