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Cabaret Mechanical Theatre

Mechanical is our middle name

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Filed Under: Artists

Howling Cats

Last month, Paul Spooner made 10 Howling Cats in aid of the Ukraine catastrophe. “The heads and arms are made from lime wood but the bodies, being fairly featureless, are made from a lump of scrap timber I found on a building site. The flag is of copper painted yellow and blue, two colours I’ve […]

Tagged With: Paul Spooner (on April 27, 2022 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Workshops

Automata Tinkering Global Workshop – May 2022

Join other artists, makers & educators from all over the world to discover & share automata making ideas & mechanisms in an online workshop. Book tickets on EventBrite About this event This six week programme has been designed to explore the combination of art and engineering. The workshops will be led by experienced facilitator Ryan […]

(on February 8, 2022 by Sarah) 1 Comment

Filed Under: Workshops

Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – Jan 2022

Join other artists, makers & educators from all over the world to discover & share automata making ideas & mechanisms in an online workshop. About this event This six week programme has been designed to explore the combination of art and engineering. The workshops will be led by experienced facilitator Ryan Jenkins from Wonderful Idea […]

(on October 20, 2021 by CMT Max) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Making, News, Workshops

Computational Contraptions Global Workshop

Join the team from Cabaret Mechanical Theatre for an online workshop creating automata using mechanisms, electronics and storytelling. About this event This practical experimental workshop is an online course for artists, makers and educators interested in combining programming electronics and crafting with cardboard, wood and wire.  We will be working with the BBC micro:bit – […]

(on August 25, 2021 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: News, Workshops

Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – September 2021

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Join other artists, makers & educators from all over the world to discover & share automata making ideas & mechanisms in an online workshop. Tickets are available via Eventbrite About this event This six week programme has been designed to explore the combination of art and engineering. The workshops will be led by experienced facilitator […]

(on June 16, 2021 by CMT Max) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Exhibitions

Summer Exhibitions

We are delighted to let you know that there are a number of exhibitions featuring automata from the CMT collection open now or coming soon. Cabaret Mechanical Marvels is at the St. Albans Museum until June 27th, then it will travel to Poole in July and Oxfordshire in September. Ingenious Contraptions is at the Hastings […]

(on June 7, 2021 by CMT Max) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: News, Workshops

About Our Online Workshops

Learn how to make automata online with our tinkering and micro:bit workshops.

(on February 1, 2021 by Sarah) 5 Comments

Filed Under: News

Keith Newstead – RIP

We are very sad to announce that Keith Newstead passed away this weekend (Nov. 7/8) at the age of 64. Keith was a dear friend and exceptionally talented maker. He will be very sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. Update, 14 December: an obituary in The Guardian. Photo credit: […]

(on November 9, 2020 by Sarah) 16 Comments

Filed Under: Exhibitions, News

At Last, a Show Opens

Equestrienne by Ron Fuller

Our first exhibition since the sadness of Covid arrived opens today in Gosport. You can check dates, times and directions on the Gosport Gallery website but the gist is, 15th October to 19th December. The gallery is open from 10 to 4, closed Sunday and Monday but please check before travelling and book your visiting […]

(on October 15, 2020 by Sarah) 1 Comment

Filed Under: News

Culture Recovery Fund Award

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £160,000 by Arts Council England (ACE) via the Culture Recovery Fund. This grants programme is part of the Government’s £1.57 billion package to protect the UK’s culture and heritage sectors from the impacts of Covid-19. When lockdown happened in March our upcoming exhibitions were cancelled or postponed, […]

(on October 13, 2020 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

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Recent News

  • Howling Cats
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshop – May 2022
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – Jan 2022
  • Computational Contraptions Global Workshop
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – September 2021

Microblog

Family Workshop June 1st

We have 3 pieces on display in Little Mashers in St Leonards and we’re running a family workshop 1st June using our Cardboard Automata Kit to make your own machines.

To book a ticket click here

Cardboard Automata Kit

Now available in our online shop - the legendary cardboard automata kit!

Start tinkering and creating your own designs with this versatile kit. You will start understand the basic mechanisms including cams, drives and cranks as you put the kit together and try out different designs.

Developed by @firetheinventor this tried and tested kit has been enjoyed by visitors to our exhibitions and accompanying workshops for over 10 years. It has also been part of our online Automata Tinkering Global Workshops since 2020.

Buy here

Our Previous Show in Derby

at the Museuma of Making ran from 10 Dec - 13 Mar 2022 but you can still see the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre - virtual version. Although it may not stay online forever - let us know if it’s gone! Our other previous shows are here.

Last Few Places - now sold out

You can join the waitlist for our next Automata Tinkering Global Workshop is starting on May 10th. Join our community for 6 weeks of exploring mechanisms, materials and storytelling online. More info and booking

2022 Automata Tinkering Global Workshop

Looking for a new year project or a brilliant Christmas gift? 🎁 Join our 2022 online Automata Tinkering Global Workshop - book now for the 🦅 earlybird. Explore mechanisms, materials & storytelling 19 Jan to 23 Feb 4-6pm UK time. Go here for more info: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/automat…

Exhibition in San Diego

Our exhibition Mechanics Alive! opened at The Fleet Science Centre in San Diego, CA, USA on Saturday 9 October (closed Jan 17, 2022). They are open every day and have free entrance every first Tuesday for local residents. Go and see exhibits by Peter Markey, Keith Newstead, Carlos Zapata, Paul Spooner and Ron Fuller and find out how they work by trying out the interactive displays.

Latest Tweets

  • We have 3 pieces on display in Little Mashers in St Leonards and we’re running a family workshop 1st June using our… https://t.co/pczXJlXfsU May 24, 2022 6:00 pm
  • Do you remember when we were selling these in Covent Garden in… December 1988? In this early Paul Spooner automat… https://t.co/F7PRp1dfgl May 23, 2022 11:35 am
  • The robots are here! Wanda Sowry has made three new robot automata, which are now in our online shop. Robots save t… https://t.co/QElw3OOFQ9 May 20, 2022 1:10 pm
  • 21st anniversary digital edition! In 2015 we enhanced all the animations and re-released How to Make Automata. Keit… https://t.co/pdTICCq5UW May 17, 2022 3:40 pm
  • Follow on Twitter!

Tagged Posts

14 Ball Arthur Ganson Bruce Shapiro Cams Carlos Zapata Dug North Exhibitions Fi Henshall John Lumbus Kazu Harada Keith Newstead Kinetica Martin Smith Matt Smith News Pascale Michalski Paul Spooner Peter Markey Pierre Mayer ratchet Ron Fuller Sarah Alexander Sharmanka Simon Tait Sue Jackson Tim Hunkin Will Jackson

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Cabaret Mechanical Theatre is a collection of contemporary automata founded in 1982. It has permanent and temporary exhibitions all over the world. We aim to entertain and inspire visitors, makers and collectors.

Recent

  • Howling Cats
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshop – May 2022
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – Jan 2022
  • Computational Contraptions Global Workshop
  • Automata Tinkering Global Workshops – September 2021

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