Born: 1949.

Place: Village of Littleworth, Stafford, England.

Resides: Auckland, New Zealand.(and in a suitcase)

Education: School Cert. City & Guilds Cert. Electrical Engineering (UK). Electrical Trades Certificate -(Fitter/Mechanic) Queensland (Australia).

Training: Mime-Nola Rae.

Clown-Francis Batten

Bouffon-Francis Batten

Puppetry-Philippe Genty, Richard Bradshaw
 

Grants : 1984 Queen Elizabeth 2 Arts Council of N.Z. to study puppetry techniques in Europe.

1988 Australia-New Zealand Council Grant for Philippe Genty Master-Classes.
N.Z. 'Performers in Schools' Grants ...throughout 1980's

History: Acorns Productions were established in 1974 in Auckland, New Zealand.

1974-80. Wrote, produced and performed 'Prof. Snoozle and the Time Machine', touring Schools, Kindergartens, Malls and Festivals. Produced 'Captain Kiwi and the Coromandel Gold' and toured with it. Both shows were for Glove and Rod Puppets plus Clown.

1981... 'The Sleeping Beauty'.. large scale Rod Puppet production
'The Magic-Hammer'.. produced for Sydney Festival.. solo show.

1983... 'Just walking the Goldfish'..Rod show produced for Australasian Int. Puppet Festival, Adelaide.

1984... Recieved grant to study Puppetry in Europe. Also performed at Edinburgh Festival, Avignon Festival and Glastonbury
Festival.

1985..Commisioned by Royal Easter Show to produce 'Black Light' show... 'Peter and the Wolf.' Tutoring at Christchurch Fringe Festivals ('86 & '87 & '89).

1986..Tour of Germany, Holland, Denmark & Austria as 'Fool' & Puppeteer with Jango Edwards.

1987...Warana Festival Brisbane, Australia.

1988...2nd Australasian Int. Puppet-Festival, Perth.
Philippe Genty Master-Class.

1989..Chief Puppeteer for 'Meet the Feebles'- Peter Jackson film.

1990..Puppet Master for T.V. Breakfast show.. ' The Early Bird Show'.
Wellington International  Fringe Festival. Commonwealth-Games, Auckland.

1991..T.V. Commercials. Coffs Harbour Festival.
Various odd- jobs around T.V.

1992.. Olympic-Games, Barcelona..Jango Edwards.
Cannes Festival of Theatre.
Tour of Holland - ' The Dutchies '.
Festival of Dundee.
'The Baby of Macon'- Peter Greenaway film.

1993.. Seoul Int. Puppet-Festival.
Marlbrough Int. Wine Festival.
Taranaki Arts Fest. T.V.Cs.

1994.. Produced Puppetual E. Motions.. Premiere - Auckland Comedy Fest.
T.V.Cs

1995.. Seoul Int. Puppet-Fest.
Leukerbad Clown Fest. (Switzerland).
Zurich Theatre Spectacular.
Xena (T.V.Series)
T.V.Cs.

1996..Wellington Int. Fest.
Iida Int. Puppet-Fest.-Japan.
Tomiyama Puppet- Fest., Japan. Mistelbach Int. Puppet-Fest., Austria.
Theatre Spectacular-Zurich, Switzerland.
T.V.Cs.

1997. Build new Studio.
T.V.Cs.
Xena (T.V.Series).
Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka, Japan.

1998.Hercules (T.V.Series).
Christchurch Festival of Romance.
Invited to perform at Festival of Fools in Utrecht-Holland.
Isle of Ameland Summer Festival-Holland.
Theatre Spektacular-Zurich .
Linz International Street Festival -Austria.
Co-Directed theatre production (Hollywood Express) with JangoEdwards-Geneva (Metatheatre).
Invited to perform at International Puppet Festival
Ireland (Dublin).
Baseball Cafe -Tokyo.

1999. Childrens Summer-Shows at Sky Tower(Auckland).
Royal Easter Show(Logan CampbellTheatre)(Auckland).
American Direct TVC(Japan).
Vlissingen International Festival (Holland).
Linz International Pflasterspektakel (Austria)
.International Overijssels StraatTheater Festival(Holland).
Theatre Spektakel (Zurich).
Americas Cup Village(Auckland).
Inasa Cho Puppet Festival (Japan).
2000  Day One- Tamaki Makaurau 2000  New Millenium Celebrations
Americas Cup Village
Auckland City Council Shows
Auckland Arts Alive Fest-Town Hall performance of 'Puppetual E Motions'
Osaka -Street Theatre
Invited to perform at  international festival of clowns-Amsterdam
Vlissingen International Festival-Holland
Gent International Festival (Street Theatre)
Linz International Pflasterspektakel (Austria)
Bremen International  Street Fest  (pre)
Madamme Tussauds(Amsterdam) Walkabout Character
Osaka-Street Theatre
Local Shows
2001 Local  Shows
Japan-Golden Week-various hotels and Shopping Centres
Singapore International Puppetry Festival
Europe-
Vlissingen International Straat Festival-Holland
Lienz International Festival-Austria
Nijmegan International Fest-Holland
Ternneuzen Fest-Holland
Theater Spektakel-Zurich
Enter Berlin Client Party-Berlin
Schipol Airport Xmas Shows (Scrooge)-Holland
Lommel New Years Shows-Belgium
2002
Volvo Cup Shows-Auckland NZ
Traffic Education Programme for Auckland City Council
" " " " Manukau City Couincil
Europe-
Maderanertal-Switzerland
Terneuzen-Holland
Linz International Pflasterspektakel-Austria
Villach Int.Festival-Austria
Schipol Airport Shows-Holland
Theater Spek. -Zurich
Wormerweer-Holland
Purmerend -Holland
Berlin -Private Show
Roermond-Holland
Schipol Airport-Holland-(Jester)
Roermond-Holland-Pirate Shows
Leiderdorp c.q. Leidschendam-Holland(Scrooge)
Efftelling- Holland- Scrooge Shows
Schipol Airport-Holland- Xmas Shows (Scrooge)
2003
Americas Cup-Auckland
TVCs
Video production projects

Europe:

Turnhout Int.Festival(Belgium)
Oerol Int. Fest (Holland)

Mijdrecht Fest(Holland)

Linz International Pflasterspektakel(Austria)

Lauwe Int.Festival(Belgium)

Ghent Festival(Belgium)

Ameland Int. Festival(Holland)

Naaldwijk Festival(Holland)

Zurich Theater Spektacular(Switzerland)

Berlin

Auckland Shows

2004

Auckland War Museum-'The Puppet Show' Season (Puppet Shows!)

Blenheim BMW Wine Fest

Auckland Teddy Bears Picnic

Auckland Easter Show

Dubai

New Zealand shows

Vodafone gig (circus)

Takapuna Xmas Parade (Scrooge)

Civic Theatre (Scrooge)

New Years Eve - Australian Business Theatre(Hilton) Puppet and Suit Character Co-Ordinator(The Hobbit)

  2005

Japan-Shizuoka,Tokyo,Nagoya,Yokohama,Yaizu-(Puppet Techniques Research)

NZ Shows

European Shows. Ameland,Ghent,Berlin,Amsterdam,Amersfoot,Sevenum,Enschede

Kiwi Fruit-Adult TV show (Puppeteer)

2006

Kiwi Fruit -Adult TV show (puppeteer)

Birth of Son Tamaki James Takeshita-Acorn March 8th 05-38 am 2,928 kg,

Life Adjustments!

Season of 'Sausage King 'Puppet Show @ Old Vic Theatre Devonport

More adjustments to Life

National and Local shows

TV -more Kiwi Fruit

TVc Puppet(Pukeko)

Lots of Nappy Washing etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007

Hosting 'Alan Clay Clown Workshops' at Studio in Coromandel

Local Shows and National shows

Hamilton Gardens Festival

TVCs-Telecom(puppet)

Westfield -Albany walkabouts for opening and ongoings

Telecom Xmas campaign-puppeteer

More Telecom TVCs (puppeteer for clever toys campaign)

Research for New Puppet Production

In-House Puppet campaign for Telecom

Artist in Residence at Woodford House -Havelock North

Xmas Season 'Scrooge' Shows around Town

2008

Keltic Fair-Coromandel

Westfield Shows

AUT Orientation shows

The Great NZ Trek Show

Telecom TVC shoots

Walt Disney 'Wizard's First Rule' Film (Puppeteer)

More Westfield shows

2009

Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival

University Shows

International Cricket Shows

Royal Easter Show- Auckland

Chuppa Chups TVC (Chuck) Puppeteer

Jamiesons Whisky TVC ( Actor)

A myriad of local shows .