ABOUT US
SENJU PUPPET COMPANY is established in 2018 by group of independent puppet theater artists. Our goal is to develop and present TAKEDA techniques – a unique Japanese marionette system, from the 17th century, and to work towards developing the puppet theater language.
Our mentor is Senju Takeda - the last successor of "Takeda" theater in the world! With his help we have developed a contemporary theater system that enables us to respond to the modern times while keeping the traditions alive.
Our team includes more than 10 artists dedicated to the art of puppetry. For several years now, our performances "The Samurai's Daughter" and "Issun Boshi" have been presenting the beauty, precision and grace of "Takeda" Theater to audiences all around the world.
"Takeda" Theater exist since the 17th century and bears the surname of the well-known Takeda Oomi - actor, director and set designer. The "Takeda" marionettes differ from other puppets in their realism. They are made extremely detailed, with the proportions of their parts resembling the proportions of the body parts of a real person. Great precision is required from the actors in bringing these puppets to life and leading them. Their clothes are made of restyled authentic Japanese kimonos, their hair is made of silk, and their bodies are made of Japanese wood.
"Takeda" puppets have specific guides, as well as many strings - an average of 14 strings per puppet. Therefore, leading such a marionette can be likened to playing a musical instrument. Another characteristic of "Takeda" theater is the height from which the puppets are led. The actors are mounted on a high platform, and the strings of each puppet are about 2 meters long.
"Takeda" Theater presents various characters and plots from the Japanese folklore. The sets are hand-painted and are a work of art in themselves.
The puppets of Senju Puppet Company are original "Takeda" marionettes - they are made by Senju Takeda himself and bear the seal of "Takeda" Theater, which makes them a cultural heritage.
"Takeda" puppets have specific guides, as well as many strings - an average of 14 strings per puppet. Therefore, leading such a marionette can be likened to playing a musical instrument. Another characteristic of "Takeda" theater is the height from which the puppets are led. The actors are mounted on a high platform, and the strings of each puppet are about 2 meters long.
"Takeda" Theater presents various characters and plots from the Japanese folklore. The sets are hand-painted and are a work of art in themselves.
The puppets of Senju Puppet Company are original "Takeda" marionettes - they are made by Senju Takeda himself and bear the seal of "Takeda" Theater, which makes them a cultural heritage.
From the international puppet festival “Lut Fest" in Sarajevovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina:
- Award for Best Collective Puppet Acting
- Award "Poetics of the puppet show", named after Vojislav Vujanović
- Award for original music of Maria Mihaylova
- Award for the best puppets of Senju Takeda and Mila Dikalova
From the international puppet festival "Three Are Too Many, Two – Not Enough" in Plovdiv, Bulgaria:
- The special award for inspiration in the puppet show "Invisible child" in memory of Dimo Stoyanov - P.I.F.
Theater festivals:
2024 - Kazakhstan, Almaty - Almaty Puppet Festival 2024
2024 - Romania, Buzau - Buzau International Arts Festival "BIAF"
2024 - Bulgaria, Sofia - International festival for street and puppet theater "Puppet Fair"
2024 - Bulgaria, Plovdiv - International festival for street arts "6FEST"
2023 - Romania, Buzau - Buzau International Arts Festival "BIAF"
2023 - Bulgaria, Burgas - International puppet festival "Days of Puppets"
2023 - Bulgaria, Targovishte -International festival for children "The Magic Curtain"
2022 - Hungary, Bekescaba - Nemzetközi Bábfesztivál
2021 - Turkey, Bursa - International Karagöz Festival for Puppet and Shadow Theater
2021 - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo - International puppet festival "LUT FEST"
2021 - Bulgaria, Plovdiv - International puppet festival "Three are too many, two - not enough"
2019 - Bulgaria, Burgas - International puppet festival "Days of Puppets"
Tours:
2025 - Tour of the performance "Skadindi Laper" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Skadindi Laper" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Rome, Italy
2024 - Tour of the performance "The Samurai's Daughter" in Bulgaria
2023 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bulgaria
2023 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bratislava, Slovakia
2022 - Tour of the performance "Issun Boshi" in Bulgaria
2021 - Tour of the performance "The Samurai's Daughter" in Bulgaria
Other participations:
2024 - Romania, Bucharest - Asia Fest 2024
2023 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Film and Literature Festival “Cinelibri"
2023 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Aniventure Comic Con
2023 - Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo - Days of East Asian cultures
2019 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Day of the Japanese Martial Arts and Traditions
2019 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Aniventure Comic Con
2018 - Bulgaria, Sofia - "Days of Japanese Culture“
2024 - Kazakhstan, Almaty - Almaty Puppet Festival 2024
2024 - Romania, Buzau - Buzau International Arts Festival "BIAF"
2024 - Bulgaria, Sofia - International festival for street and puppet theater "Puppet Fair"
2024 - Bulgaria, Plovdiv - International festival for street arts "6FEST"
2023 - Romania, Buzau - Buzau International Arts Festival "BIAF"
2023 - Bulgaria, Burgas - International puppet festival "Days of Puppets"
2023 - Bulgaria, Targovishte -International festival for children "The Magic Curtain"
2022 - Hungary, Bekescaba - Nemzetközi Bábfesztivál
2021 - Turkey, Bursa - International Karagöz Festival for Puppet and Shadow Theater
2021 - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo - International puppet festival "LUT FEST"
2021 - Bulgaria, Plovdiv - International puppet festival "Three are too many, two - not enough"
2019 - Bulgaria, Burgas - International puppet festival "Days of Puppets"
Tours:
2025 - Tour of the performance "Skadindi Laper" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Skadindi Laper" in Bulgaria
2024 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Rome, Italy
2024 - Tour of the performance "The Samurai's Daughter" in Bulgaria
2023 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bulgaria
2023 - Tour of the performance "Kralyo Portalyo" in Bratislava, Slovakia
2022 - Tour of the performance "Issun Boshi" in Bulgaria
2021 - Tour of the performance "The Samurai's Daughter" in Bulgaria
Other participations:
2024 - Romania, Bucharest - Asia Fest 2024
2023 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Film and Literature Festival “Cinelibri"
2023 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Aniventure Comic Con
2023 - Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo - Days of East Asian cultures
2019 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Day of the Japanese Martial Arts and Traditions
2019 - Bulgaria, Sofia - Aniventure Comic Con
2018 - Bulgaria, Sofia - "Days of Japanese Culture“
REPERTOIRE
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Based on the Japanese folk tale "Hime with the big hat"Original "Takeda" marionettes, made by the last successor of "Takeda" theater in the world.
Age: 5+
Suitable for children and adults. -
Japanese Hop-o'-My-ThumbHandmade "Takeda" marionettes, as well as giant marionettes, shadow theater, original music and poems.
Age: 5+
Suitable for children and adults
"The whole world is arranged like this – I help you, tomorrow you – to me!"
– Issun Boshi
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS:
5 години ТЕАТРАЛНА ФОРМАЦИЯ СЕНДЖУ
I AM Studio, София
Каним ви на прожекция на любителския документален филм „5 години ТЕАТРАЛНА ФОРМАЦИЯ СЕНДЖУ"! Кои сме ние, какъв е театърът, който правим, как създадохме нашата формация – ще разкажат всички членове на екипа ни. Ще видите някои от най-забавните ни моменти досега, ще разберете през какви перипетии сме минали. Ще се запознаете с всички нас и ще отпразнуваме заедно нашия празник!
Билети
Билети
19:30 – 21:00
Галавечер на | ЧОВЕК
Кино Люмиер, София
Каним ви на премиера на мистериозната драма „Човек" на режисьора Кей Ишикава, удостоена с осем награди на Японската академия!
Прожекцията ще бъде съпроводена с изложение на впечатляващи кукли от японския театър Senju Puppet Company, които са приготвили страхотни визуални изненади за зрителите.
Билети
Прожекцията ще бъде съпроводена с изложение на впечатляващи кукли от японския театър Senju Puppet Company, които са приготвили страхотни визуални изненади за зрителите.
Билети
19:00 – 20:30
About the team
Our team includes more than 10 artists dedicated to puppetry. For several years now, our performances "The Samurai's Daughter" and "Issun Boshi" have presented the beauty, precision and grace of the Takeda Theater to the audience - in Bulgaria and around the world.
The Actors
- Dimitra Popova
- Georgi-Manoel Dimitrov
- Svetoslav Tiholov
- Niya Yanakieva
- Radost Kozuharova
- Angel Kalev
Последвайте ни в социалните мрежи
Project “Creation of a Children's Film ‘Issun Boshi’”, Ref. No. BG-RRP-11.020-0026, approved for funding by the European Union through the “NextGenerationEU” instrument under the Operational Programme “National Recovery and Resilience Plan”, Procedure Code BG-RRP-11.020, Priority Axis “Social Inclusion”, has been implemented with the support of the NRRP – “Creation of Bulgarian productions and co-productions in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) sector and their promotion on European and international art markets.”
