Profile by Penny Francis MBE

If you wanted to imagine a list of qualifications for running a successful modern theatre company using puppetry as its prime expressive medium, the following might serve well: training and practical experience in corporal skills, mime, mask, clowning, musicianship, model-making, stage management, acting, light, sound. And, of course a deal of professional work in puppetry making and manipulation. The two directors of Garlic Theatre, founded in 1996, have all of these, and Mark Pitman and Iklooshar Malara run one of England’s best companies in the field.

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Iklooshar studied English Literature at Oxford University before co-founding Big Wheel Theatre Company in 1986, specialising in theatre-in-education and touring England and Scandinavia. A fully qualified teacher, Iklooshar has trained with Philippe Genty, Theatre de Complicite , Philippe Gaulier, Enno Podehl and Jan Feng and for the past fifteen years has worked as a freelance actress, puppeteer and musician with U.K. Companies such as Forest Forge, Interplay, SNAP, Norwich Playhouse, Faulty Optic and Norwich Puppet Theatre. In 1996 she founded the Garlic Theatre which has toured nationally and Internationally with seven productions; Billy Goats Gruff, The Sorcerers Apprentice, Fiddlesticks, Flea Circus, Sindbad the Sailor, George and the Dragon and Rapunzel, . Iklooshar co-designs, makes and performs in all three shows which have played in International Festivals in 18 different countries and won many prizes. Iklooshar also works as a teacher and workshop leader in collaborative projects with Theatre Centre, Central School and the Barbican. In Norfolk, Iklooshar works with Norfolk Family Learning Programme as a creative workshop leader in puppet making and craft workshop for families.

Mark worked as a model maker before training in mime and movement with Desmond Jones and attending Jacques Lecoq's school in Paris. Mark initiated drama and puppetry workshops at Ravenswood for children with special needs and subsequently worked for many years at Norwich Puppet Theatre . He has directed and built shows for the theatre in collaboration with directors Ray Da-Silva, Barry Smith and Luis Boy and worked as a performer for many productions. In 1995 Mark became a part-time tutor for puppetry and manipulation and construction at the Central School for Speech and Drama in London. Mark also works as a free-lance director with U.K. Companies that tour nationally such as Banyan, Nutmeg, Tin Drum and Mike Chase for the Mask Studio. After directing the Garlic Theatre's production of ‘Rapunzel' in 1996 he became a partner in April 1997, co-designing, making and performing ‘George and the Dragon' 'Sindbad the Sailor' ‘Flea Circus' and ‘Fiddlesticks' which has played nationally and internationally in 18 different countries.