Snuff Puppets and Spurn: Difference between pages

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:''"Spurn" can have other meanings, see the [[wikt:spurn|Wiktionary entry]].''

'''Snuff Puppets''' is an Australian puppet theatre company that was founded in 1992.

[[Image:Spurn_point_with_lighthouse.kirin.jpeg|thumb|right|A photograph of Spurn in May, showing the lighthouse and sand-dunes.]]

[[Image:Snuff_puppets_footscray_bus.jpg|left|thumb|250px|A Snuff Puppet in Footscray]]Originating from a dusty warehouse in the industrial working class suburb of [[Footscray]] in [[Melbourne]], and now based in the newly renovated historic ''Footscray Drill Hall'', Snuff Puppets has gone on to be Australia's premier Puppet troupe.

'''Spurn''' is a narrow sand [[spit (landform)|spit]] on the tip of the coast of [[Yorkshire]], [[England]] that reaches into the [[North Sea]] and forms the north bank of the mouth of the [[Humber]] estuary. It is over 3 miles (5 km) long, almost half of the width of the estuary at that point, and as little as 50 yards (45 metres) wide in places. The southernmost tip is known as '''Spurn Head''' or '''Spurn Point''' and is the home to an [[RNLI]] lifeboat station and disused lighthouse. It forms part of the [[civil parish]] of [[Easington, East Riding of Yorkshire|Easington]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]].

Spurn, owned since 1960 by the [[Yorkshire Wildlife Trust]] and covering 113 [[hectare]]s (1.13 km²) above high water and 181 hectares (1.81 km²) of foreshore. It is a designated [[National Nature Reserve]], [[Heritage Coast]] and is part of the Humber Flats, Marshes and Coast [[Special Protection Area]].

They tour nationally and internationally usually on the streets but also in circus tents, theatres and at rock concerts.

==Wildlife==

Snuff Puppets combine the elements of puppetry, live music, visual and physical theatre.

The mud flats are an important feeding ground for [[wader|wading birds]], and the area has a [[bird observatory]], for monitoring [[bird migration|migrating]] [[bird]]s and providing accommodation to visiting birdwatchers. Their migration is assisted by east winds in autumn, resulting in [[drift migration]] of [[Scandinavia]]n migrants, sometimes leading to a spectacular "fall" of thousands of birds. Many uncommon species have been sighted there, including a [[Cliff Swallow]] from North America, a [[Lanceolated Warbler]] from Siberia and a [[Black-browed Albatross]] from the Southern Ocean. More commonly, birds such as [[Wheatear]]s, [[Whinchat]]s, [[Common Redstart]]s and [[Old World flycatcher|flycatcher]]s alight at Spurn on their way between breeding and wintering grounds elsewhere. When the wind is in the right direction migrants are funnelled down Spurn Point and are counted at the Narrows Watchpoint, more than 15000 birds can fly past on a good morning in autumn with 3000 quite normal.Spurn point is one of the spcialist places that was ever made

[[Image:Spurn_point_lighthouse.jpg|thumb|left|Spurn Point Lighthouse in the distance]]

==Geography==

Subjects that are considered taboo are tackled, with 'a vulgar, irreverent, gratuitously violent and a comic sensibility'.

The peninsula is made up from sand and shingle eroded from the [[Holderness]] coastline washed down the coastline from [[Flamborough Head]]. Material is washed down the coast by [[longshore drift]] and accumulates to form the long, narrow embankment in the sheltered waters inside the mouth of the Humber estuary. It is maintained by plants, especially [[Marram grass]] (''Ammophila arenaria''). Waves carry material along the peninsula to the tip, continually extending it; as this action stretches the peninsula it also narrows it to the extent that the sea can cut across it in severe weather. When the sea cuts across it permanently, everything beyond the breach is swept away, only to eventually reform as a new spit pointing further south. This cycle of destruction and reconstruction occurs approximately every 250 years.

The second of the ''Six Studies in English Folk Song for Cello'' composed in 1926 by [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]], the ''Andante sostenuto'' in E flat "Spurn Point" celebrates this peninsula.

Snuff Puppet elements: 'a blackly dangerous humour, an incisive political satire, shamelessly handmade visual aesthetic; populist, free, joyous conflagration of art, audience and artist'.

It was featured on the television programme ''[[Seven Natural Wonders]]'' as one of the wonders of Yorkshire.

The company has an interest in direct action on political issues. Over the years this has included appearances and support for the [[world peace]], [[third world debt]] relief and support for [[asylum seekers]].

== History ==

Snuff Puppets has performed in sixteen countries including three summer long tours of Western and Eastern Europe, two appearances at the Daidogei World Cup in Japan, the ''Dancing Cows'' were performed at the China Shanghai International Festival, and a two week workshop was held at the [[World Social Forum]] in Brazil.

The [[lifeboat]] station at Spurn Head was built in 1810. Due to the remote ___location, houses for the lifeboat crew and their families were added a few years later. The station is now the only one in the UK which has full-time paid staff.

The troupe has won the 'Spirit of the Fringe' award from Melbourne Fringe and '[[Adelaide Fringe]] 2006 Circus / Physical Theatre Award'.

In [[World War I]] two [[coastal artillery]] 9.2" [[Artillery battery|batteries]] were added at either end of Spurn Head, with 4" and 4.7" QF guns in between. The emplacements can be clearly seen, and the northern ones are particularly interesting as coastal erosion has partly toppled them onto the beach, revealing the size of the concrete foundations very well. The Information Centre has a leaflet describing the defences.

{{commonscat|Spurn}}

==External links==

* [http://www.snuffpuppetsbritainexpress.com/countryside/coast/spurn.htm Spurn Head SnuffHeritage PuppetsCoast]

* [http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/ecolodge/25/spurn.htm Spurn Point- A cyclic coastal landform], showing an excellent aerial photograph

* http://www.eastcoastline.co.uk/

* http://www.spurnpoint.com/

* [http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/ Spurn Bird Observatory]

<!--Categories-->

[[Category:Theatre in Australia]]

[[Category:HumorNational Nature Reserves in England]]

[[Category:PuppetrySpecial Protection Areas in England]]

[[Category:TheatrePeninsulas inof AustraliaEngland]]

[[Category:Holderness]]