Company History

Invisible Thread Theatre of Animation was formed in 2011 as one of the two companies created out of the split of the internationally renowned puppet and visual theatre company Faulty Optic.

Invisible Thread’s artistic director Liz Walker was a founding partner and joint artistic director of Faulty Optic. For work created in that partnership from 1988 – 2008 go to www.faultyoptic.co.uk

In 2009 Liz Walker created the nationally and internationally touring show ‘Fish, Clay, Perspex’ using animated figures, clay-modelling and live drawing to tell tales from an

‘un-hinged mind….it boasts the best pincer-legged ballet by armless men on polystyrene that I’ve ever seen.’ Time Out

Invisible Thread’s current presentation is Catmother, a sinister and comic Victorian cautionary tale not for recommended for faint-hearted kitten-lovers! It can be seen as part of Beguiled, a double-bill with Les Hommes Vides

Liz Walker trained in the 1980’s as a puppeteer at The Little Angel Marionette Theatre, London. Her interest in kinetic sculpture, 3D animation (especially the work of Jan Svankmajer and the Quay Brothers), dance and all things bizarre and surreal, were combined with her training, to create a unique form of puppetry for adults, that has inspired many puppeteers and theatre practitioners working in the UK and abroad.

As a founder member, Liz Walker toured extensively as Faulty Optic, performing throughout the UK and from Indonesia to Venezuela, Canada and lots of places in between. She has worked as a puppet consultant and performer for companies such as the Royal Opera House and Rafi Peer Theatre in Karachi, Pakistan where she also was one of the main performers.

She has run workshops in puppet manipulation and making for all ages and abilities from early years to professional.

Liz has also performed as a puppeteer within other art forms eg The Red Balloon – a dance piece at the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House and a Christmas Grotto installation on an old Norwegian ferry for Walk the Plank.