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Cabaret Mechanical Theatre

Mechanical is our middle name

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Filed Under: Artists, News, The Ride of Life

About Ron Fuller

Since Ron’s sad departure in July a number of new articles have been published. We’ve updated our page about Ron with the new links.

Tagged With: Ron Fuller (on September 13, 2017 by Sarah) 1 Comment

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Far East, UK, USA

Summer Automata Exhibitions

There are currently six touring exhibitions featuring automata from Cabaret Mechanical Theatre on display around the world. The Mechanicals show is at The Royal Engineers Museum in the UK and Frost Science in Miami. Moving Toys with Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre is in South Korea.  The Clockwork Garden is at The Bowes Museum until November. There […]

(on August 14, 2017 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Artists, News

Ron Fuller 1936-2017

Ron Fuller

We are very sad to announce the death of Ron Fuller, at the age of 80. Ron was an integral part of the formation of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre having first met Sue Jackson while they were both students at Falmouth Art School in 1957.  Ron’s distinctive toys, for example, Hens Laying Eggs and Tapping Can-Can […]

Tagged With: Ron Fuller (on July 3, 2017 by Sarah) 7 Comments

Filed Under: Exhibitions, UK

Mechanicals in Whitehaven

If you happen to be sailing around the coast of the UK in the next six weeks, you might want to book a mooring at Whitehaven harbour.  Our touring exhibition, The Mechanicals, has arrived at The Beacon Museum and will be entertaining visitors of all ages from Saturday 25th March. West Strand Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7LY Phone: 01946 592302 […]

(on March 23, 2017 by Sarah) 1 Comment

Filed Under: Exhibitions, News, UK

A Curious Turn Tour Dates

Thinking Chair by Arthur Ganson

The eagerly anticipated tour of the Crafts Council’s exhibition, A Curious Turn, begins at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Exhibition Dates: 18th Feb 2017 to 21st May 2017. Links: Crafts Council and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The show will then tour the UK: 8th Jul – 2nd Sep 2017, Gallery Oldham 15 Sep – 19 Nov 2017, Derby Museum and Art […]

(on January 26, 2017 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Artists, Shop News

The Agreeing Heart by Paul Spooner

It’s not often that P. Spooner, the well-known European automaton maker, has a new idea for a Valentine’s Day offering. This year is no exception; he made one of these for a secret lover many years ago and almost forgot he’d done it. Rugged carving and the painterly application of expensive pigments are complimented by […]

Tagged With: Paul Spooner (on January 26, 2017 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Artists, Shop News

Johann Knopf: a Machine with Whirling Birds

Johann Knopf by Paul Spooner

A new edition by Paul Spooner. Twelve wooden birds rotate on four axes in imitation of one of Johann Knopf’s drawings. Knopf, also known as Knüpfer, died in Wiesloch asylum in 1910. He was a patient of Dr Hans Prinzhorn, one of the first psychiatrists to become interested in, and respectful of, the creative works […]

Tagged With: Paul Spooner (on November 24, 2016 by Sarah) Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Exhibitions, USA

Curious Contraptions at the Exploratorium

Paul Spooner by Carlos Zapata

Our latest touring exhibition, Curious Contraptions will be at the Exploratorium, San Francisco, from 17th November to Jan 29th 2017. The exhibition features work from 15 different artists, both from the UK and USA and a series of automata making workshops will accompany the exhibition. To learn more about this exciting event, visit the Curious […]

Tagged With: Carlos Zapata, Paul Spooner (on November 15, 2016 by Sarah) 2 Comments

Filed Under: Artists, News

Peter Markey 1930-2016

We are very sad to announce the death yesterday, November 2nd, of Peter Markey, aged 86. Peter was the first automata artist to start making work for us in 1979 and he continued to make automata for almost 50 years. His deceptively simple style and insistence on using the most basic materials belied his ingenuity […]

Tagged With: Peter Markey (on November 3, 2016 by Sarah) 2 Comments

Filed Under: Exhibitions, News

A Curious Turn

The Crafts Council’s new touring exhibition, A Curious Turn: Moving Mechanical Sculpture will celebrate 40 years of British automata and a preview of the exhibition will open 15 September at Habitat’s King’s Road Platform Gallery as part of London Design Festival before the full exhibition with 40 automata embarks on a two-year nationwide tour.

Tagged With: Peter Markey, Ron Fuller (on August 10, 2016 by Sarah) 3 Comments

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Recent News

  • Keith Newstead – RIP
  • At Last, a Show Opens
  • Culture Recovery Fund Award
  • Junk Automata Make-a-thon Oct/Nov 2020
  • Computational Contraptions Workshop – November 2020

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Visit Virtually
Visit Virtually

Closed, open, closed, open… Virtual! Our Marvellous Mechanicals exhibition may have just closed at Gosport Gallery @SEARCHGosport but you can visit it online: www.cultureoncall.com/a-virtual…

Keith Newstead - RIP
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. Photo credit: Steve Tanner

New Show
New Show

We are delighted to announce that we’ve opened a new exhibition - our first since Covid happened - in Gosport (UK - Hampshire, across the water from Portsmouth). See our blog post for more info and to book your time slot.

New Workshop
New Workshop

Announcing a family workshop which includes an introduction to the wonderful world of automata. We’ll talk together about tools and materials, explore some inspirational machines made by CMT artists and get started constructing our own projects making weird and spooky characters come to life.

During the day the zoom call will be open as a helpline where experienced tinkering facilitators will take a look at in-progress projects, offer new ideas and share tips and tricks. We reconvene in the afternoon to share our work and plan next steps for making and building with automata.

Family workshops are co-educational experiences (so adults, you get to do these activities too!). Best for ages 8 and up, tinkering with a parent or caregiver (in the same house or remotely).

Please see go here: cabaret.co.uk/ig/ for more as well as details of two other workshops we’re running.

#online #workshop #course #automata #tinkering #mechanisms #fun

Fools for Sale
Fools for Sale

cabaret.co.uk/store/aut…

Fools!
Fools!

‘In olden times being a fool was a job.’ Paul Spooner is working on a new limited edition of 5 fools. There will be more information in our next ‘CMT News’ email newsletter.

. #fools #april2020 #comingsoon #automata #paulspooner #teaser #pantomimehorse

Latest Tweets

  • See the What’s On page: https://t.co/tfO3ddZSYC at St Albans Museums or link in our bio. #repost @stalbansmuseums… https://t.co/DEtdRhhWpW January 14, 2021 7:48 pm
  • Closed, open, closed, open... Virtual! Our Marvellous Mechanicals exhibition may have just closed at Gosport Galler… https://t.co/8irSoNzlEn December 17, 2020 6:25 pm
  • Last chance to see... #repost @gosportgalleryandsearch ------------------------------------ CLOSED TODAY - This is… https://t.co/ap83JO6f5h December 14, 2020 1:48 pm
  • Keith Newstead obit in the guardian: https://t.co/bSeVd8qi1A https://t.co/JdIKtvnixH December 14, 2020 1:06 pm
  • Follow on Twitter!

Tagged Posts

14 Ball Arthur Ganson atk Bruce Shapiro Cams Carlos Zapata Dug North Exhibitions Fi Henshall John Lumbus Kazu Harada Keith Newstead Kinetica kit 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 tinkering 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

  • Keith Newstead – RIP
  • At Last, a Show Opens
  • Culture Recovery Fund Award
  • Junk Automata Make-a-thon Oct/Nov 2020
  • Computational Contraptions Workshop – November 2020

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