This design was created by John Blundall in 1971 for his new production The Enchanted Well, performed at the Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre in 1972. The cast included Jeanne Delaney, David Moodie, David Claridge, George Fredericks and Jan Tupman. The production was written by David Moodie and designed and directed by Blundall, whose sculptural style and theatrical precision defined the visual world of the piece.
John Blundall (1937–2014) was a puppeteer, master craftsman, fine artist, scenographer, teacher and collector whose career spanned more than fifty years. He began in the circus before founding Festival Marionettes, and after military service worked as a designer and director in several British theatres. His artistic formation was shaped by Sergei Obraztsov, Leonora Shpet, a Japanese Nō mask‑maker and the Bunraku‑za company. His bold, vividly coloured puppets reflected the influence of Eastern European theatre of the 1960s and 70s. During the same decade he contributed to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s television productions—including Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds, designing iconic characters such as Parker, Lady Penelope’s chauffeur.
In 1968 Blundall founded the Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, serving as its artistic director until 1992 and creating more than fifty productions. He was President of The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, served for two decades on UNIMA’s Executive Committee, chaired the British Centre of UNIMA, edited its Bulletin and later became its Honorary President.
