Information in English

Here you can get acquainted with the workings of Propop, its motivations, objectives and methods.
The texts of most plays have not yet been translated, but you can get a first impression by looking at the video's and photo's in the Picture gallery (foto's and video's)
We are a professional theatre and at the present we are working with five people.

What, how and why
Theatre Propop started as a puppettheatre with Ruud Alles in 1980, at first only as a hobby but eventually it grew into a professional theatre. Through the years different people have contributed to the theatre and left their mark by the different angles of their approach.

We have been experimenting
With different art forms: acting, music, plastic expression, dance, mime, shadow play, language.
With light, sound and acting techniques
With all kinds of puppets: hand puppets, marionettes, masks, mime puppets.
With different materials: latex; textile, wood, metals and polystyrene foam
With locations: in the street, in gymnasia, small halls, beautiful theatres and in a house of our own: De Poppenzaal
With solo theatre, duo's and group productions.

Out of all this experimenting the present Propop has grown: a full professional theatre which uses different disciplines.
Last season we gave about 300 performances, 50 % of which took place in our home theatre : De Poppenzaal. The rest of the performances were in different locations.
We do plays with only puppets, plays with a mixed form ( figure theatre) and pure theatre. All of the productions we created ourselves. For the older children we start from a strict scenario, but for the smaller ones a theme or an object usually is the base of the production.

De Poppenzaal: theatre at home in Turnhout
This is the 25th season that Propop organizes performances in its own theatre. Originally only a space to rehearse in, De Poppenzaal has grown into a full theatre.
De Poppenzaal is small ( max. 120 children ) and cosy, everything adapted to the size of its audience: the seats, the toilets and the glasses in the bar. The children sit on benches on a platform so that they can see everything well. Blackouts and acoustics are perfect. The decoration of the hall is sober, so that the attention of the public stays with the performance but the puppet bar is furnished attractively with puppets, pictures, posters and pieces of scenery.
As you can understand more and more schools and groups have already found their way to De Poppenzaal: a school trip in June, a cultural trip which includes a play during the school year, or just a visit for fun.

We hope you'll derive some pleasure from the pictures and perhaps we'll meet in De Poppenzaal or in a place of your own choice..