The Bedmaker - Public Version

The Bedmaker evolved through creative play with children and explores the bed as a performing landscape, using clowning, storytelling and puppetry. It was developed by Helene Hugel to inspire children to recreate their bed space through their imagination.

This is the public version of a performance which was originally developed for children in hospital. In transferring the experience to the public, the artist has endeavoured to maintain the quality of the audience-performer relationship she developed while working with children in hospital. This relationship includes time for spontaneity, space for the child's voice, and opportunities for responding to the child.

Children from Our Ladys Hospital for Sick Children Crumlin and Daisychain Playgroup influenced the making of the final productions. The show was also developed with input and expertise from the IPPA, The Early Years Organisation.

The hospital version of The Bedmaker was resident one day a week in The National Children's Hospital Tallaght for five months, supported by The Arts Office of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, incorporating The National Children's Hospital, and financially supported by South Dublin County Council's Arts Office. It has since visited children in hospital around the country.

The public version of The Bedmaker premiered in Garter Lane Arts Centre, Wexford, in January 2008. It has appeared in the Belfast Children's Festival (2008), and this year in the Sticky Fingers International Children's Festival, Clonmel's Junction Festival, and the Kilkenny Arts Festival. It continues to tour.

Helene Hugel is a puppeteer, performer, and arts and health practitioner, with a qualification in hospital play specialism. She began her professional career as a puppeteer in 1997 as co-founder and partner of the award winning Puca Puppets.  She now specialises in the dynamic field of art and health and regards the healthcare setting as a platform to develop new work for children. Helene is supported by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland in her development of a new arts and health company for children called Helium. She currently works alongside Helium's growing and talented team of artists-in-residence across health centres and hospitals in Ireland. Helium's service is participatory and collaborative, connecting children, their families, friends, and healthcare staff on creative common ground to achieve goals, which might otherwise be far more difficult.

Children in hospital
Children in creche

Kareen Pennefather, Director
Diarmuid MacDiarmada, Musician
Bed Designed by The Wedge Furniture Makers