Dawson Chance started his career as a Butlins redcoat in Bognor Regis in 1966, before moving onto Brighton and Blackpool, then the UK’s home of entertainment. This led to many summer seasons, often working alongside the late, great Danny La Rue.

During his long and varied career Dawson clocked up a record breaking 47 consecutive years of pantomime performances, accompanied by Willy the Turtle and Big Bad Bruce, in addition to his own two television series, Dawson’s Funny Old Farm, and Take A Chance, both for Thames TV. He was a regular guest star at Hollywood’s Magic Castle, performed in two Royal Variety Shows, and toured the world for many years on some of the finest cruises, including supporting Tony Bennett on the QE2.

Now enjoying his retirement in Spain, this is a rare UK appearance for Dawson, and we are thrilled that he and his legendary characters are joining us.

Carl Durbin is a highly experienced puppeteer, cabaret performer and ventriloquist, performing with the iconic Shorty Harris.

Shorty was the creation of the late Terri Rogers (1937-1999) and appeared alongside her throughout clubland and in cabaret for many years, often shocking their audiences. This hysterical act brought Terri great acclaim, and with it top London cabaret dates, numerous television appearances, and the chance to work in Las Vegas and Hollywood. After Terri passed away, far before her time, her partner the writer Val Andrews passed Shorty onto Carl, and it is this legendary act that he will be presenting for us at the Pleasance.

Geoff Felix worked extensively as puppeteer, writer and ventriloquial figure maker for over 40 years. He had a long career in film and television, with numerous credits for the Jim Henson Company (Labyrinth, Fraggle Rock, Storyteller, Muppets Christmas Carol, Muppets Treasure Island, Muppets Most Wanted), Warner Brothers (Little Shop of Horrors, Avengers) and Disney (Return to Oz, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).

His ventriloquial figures, in the style of his inspiration, Len Insull, sold through Davenports Magic in London, and have been featured on stage and screen across the world.

Max Fulham has been working professionally since his early teens and brings a fresh and contemporary twist to a classic art.

Max has wowed audiences with his one man show, entertaining thousands of people in theatres across the UK and on cruise ships internationally. Highlights include appearing on ‘The Good Old Days’ at Leeds City Varieties, following in the footsteps of his variety heroes, and performing on the Blackpool Opera House stage as part of the world-famous Blackpool Magic Convention. Max has also had the unique pleasure of headlining at the prestigious Venthaven Ventriloquist Convention in the USA.

He has also endeared himself to pantomime audiences throughout the UK and has worked for Cambridge Arts Theatre, Crossroads and Evolution Productions playing lead comic roles. He was honoured to be awarded ‘Best Speciality Act’ in the Great British Pantomime Awards. With TV appearances including ITV’s Saturday night show Game of Talents, Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable on Dave and the revival of the classic Crackerjack!, Max’s comedic talents are in high demand. He is also a regular on the stand-up comedy circuit.Described as "skilled and quick-witted" by The Stage and with viral success on TikTok amassing 2 million likes, Max is a performer not to be missed.

Steve Hewlett is one of Britain’s busiest ventriloquists. With a career spanning over 25 years, from corporate events to theatres, TV shows to comedy clubs, pantomimes to cruise ships.

Throughout his career, Steve has had the privilege of working alongside some of the biggest names in comedy, including Sir Ken Dodd, Roy Hudd OBE, Ricky Tomlinson, Tom O’Connor, Jethro, Bobby Davro, Rob Beckett, Hal Cruttenden, Stephen K Amos, and many more. Their recognition and collaboration are a testament to Steve’s talent.

As a ventriloquist, Steve has breathed life into the art form, captivating audiences with his fresh and contemporary approach, whether bringing to life his cranky old man puppet, Arthur Lager, or creating personalized puppets of friends, colleagues, bosses, and celebrities.

Jonathan Kiley made an early start to his career on Yorkshire TV children’s programmes performing magic and puppets. His first West End show was Peter Pan at the London Coliseum, playing Tootles. He has played Joseph in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in no less than six productions, and directed a tour of the show. He played Jesus in two productions of Godspell, Danny in Grease and Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore, before touring Britain and North America in Elvis - The Musical, and spending 1986 and 1987 playing Frank ‘N’ Furter in the national tour of The Rocky Horror Show. In 1991 he directed, choreographed and appeared in a national tour of The Little Shop of Horrors.

He has produced and directed pantomimes with some of the UK’s biggest stars, including Les Dawson, Brian Conley, Danny La Rue, Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, John Barrowman and Joan Collins. Jonathan wrote and directed the late Keith Harris’s record breaking Birmingham pantomime.

Jonathan has appeared in, written, directed and produced pantomimes in all over the country every Christmas for over three decades, and is delighted to be celebrating his 49^th year working in showbusiness.

John Kimmons has spent all of his working life in show business, beginning his professional career at the tender age of 15. He cut his teeth performing at children's birthday parties and from these humble beginnings moved on to work in every conceivable type of venue from village halls to theatres, luxury cruise liners and television.

Beginning as a magician, hesitant to include ventriloquism, his puppets have been taking over, with characters like Charlie Clifton and Jambo the Gorilla regularly showing up to steal the limelight. John's big break came in 2008 at Blackpool Opera House, when he was awarded the title of 'Children's Entertainer World Champion' and also received the Ken Dodd Award for Comedy. Since then he has been in great demand both as a comedy act and as a lecturer and consultant to other entertainers.Since 2013 he has co-produced the industry leading convention for family entertainers, TRIX, and his irreverent humour ensures it sells out every year.

His act has taken him across the world and he has performed at some of the most prestigious venues, including many appearances on Disney Cruises.

Austin Phillips’ young age belies a wealth of experience. He is undoubtledly one of America’s leading puppet makers, and an authority on the work of the Insull family.

What started as a hobby for a 14-year-old ventriloquist performer who needed puppets and couldn’t afford them became a life’s passion. Realising he woud have to learn to make them himself he was relentless in pursuit of knowledge and of getting the figures to look as close to the industry standard as possible. By the age of 16 he was carving professional-grade dummies using only the tools he could find in his father’s garage.

Between the ages of 18 and 20 he found himself waist-deep in the history of past makers, and sought out figure building masters Ray and Barbara Guill, who were in Washington state, as Austin says “About as far away from me as they could be and still be on the same continent. But they were big names in a niche industry, and I was determined to round out my education. They welcomed me with open arms. My apprenticeship under them was life-changing”.

This apprenticeship led him to discover the work of Len Insull, believed to be the greatest figure maker Britain has ever seen. Fascinated by his integration of fine-leather into the facial movements of his figures that allowed them to take on human-like rather than doll-like characteristics, Austin spent time with the UK’s Geoff Felix, figure maker and leading restorer of Insull figures.

Back in his home of Maine, Austin has reached a historian status with certain figures in the ventriloquist tradition, which has deeply impacted his restoration process. “I choose my materials and even paint pigments in order to stay as true as possible to the original piece, which helps to maintain the antiquity value. I’m always learning and ever-perfecting my craft, but I’m also proud to say that I’m among the leading experts in this industry, and the youngest recognized professional figure maker and restorer in the world.”

“Among my top accomplishments in my field, I’ve had the privilege of refurbishing an original Archie Andrews figure for collector David Wilde; I’ve organized and directed an Insull-specific ventriloquist day in London with over 70 original figures on display, and over 60 attendees including members of the original Insull family. I’ve crafted a duplicate of the famous figure Shorty Harris for Carl Durbin, who is currently using the piece performing the original act of Terri Rogers; and I’ve placed products into the hands of Darcy Lynn Farmer and Paul Zerdin.”

Austin will be talking about his work as a puppet builder and restorer, and selling some of his wonderful creations from his dealer’s stand at the event.

Lachlan Werner is comedy's poof prince of puppets. The "funniest new ventriloquist on the block" (Telegraph), clown and live artist, he was runner up for LGBTQ+ New Comedian Of The Year '22 and a nominee for Chortle Variety Act Award, BBC New Comedy Award, ISH Best Newcomer Edinburgh Comedy Award, Off-West End Cabaret Award, VAULT Comedy Breakthrough Award.

His debut solo show 'Voices Of Evil' has been a total sell out hit at Soho Theatre (2022/23), Edinburgh Fringe 2023, VAULT Festival, Brighton Fringe, London Clown Festival, winner of ReviewsHub Best Show Award, and nominated for a Soho Playhouse New York Award. He can frequently be seen yelling at himself with a small squishy witch. He is graduate of Ecole Philippe Gaulier and a regular collaborative member of the Fool's Moon collective.

He is currently workshopping a new show, WonderTwunk, and about to embark on his first international tour.

"Hilarious. Extraordinary. A healthy dose of the unhinged"★★★★ Guardian

"Unimaginable hellish power"★★★★ Chortle

"Giddily funny, devilishly clever... One hell of a debut"★★★★ Telegraph

Terry Herbert is “considered by many Children’s Entertainers to be the Godfather of Children’s Entertainment” (The Magic Circle).

One of the country’s most influential children’s entertainers, with a career spanning seven decades, performing magic and ventriloquism with Horace the Rabbit. Recognised by his peers the world over, and winner of the Magic Circle’s prestigious Maskelyne and Carlton Awards, Terry has lectured at conventions throughout Europe and North America.

He has made many television appearances, including The Best of Magic and The Paul Daniels Show. He has appeared in cabaret across the globe, both as himself with his FISM Award winning comedy act, and as his mishap prone alter ego The Great Fiasco. In Monte Carlo he had the honour of personally entertaining Prince Rainier and the Royal Family of Monaco.

Terry has a lifetime of experience to share, as well as some hilarious tales to tell.

Lady Anne Dodd was the late Sir Ken Dodd's partner for forty years. Anne first met Ken when she was working as a dancer, one of the famous Bluebell Girls, appearing alongside him. She became his life partner, road manager, driver, on stage assistant, support act, and of course his wife when they married in 2018.

Ken started his career as a ventriloquist, his first business card advertising Kenneth Dodd –Ventriloquist and Entertainer, and from 1970 his ventriloquial character Dicky Mint was a starring spot in his show.

Ken has been described as both "the last great music hall entertainer" (Dominic Cavendish) and "the first modern comedian" (Harry Hill). He performed for over sixty years, including record breaking appearances at the London Palladium.This is a rare chance to hear from Lady Anne about her life with Ken and his incredible comic legacy. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate his life and work at Gottle of Geer, and that both Lady Anne, and Dicky Mint, are joining us for the day.

Peter Pullon is a master model maker and sculptor and has created some of the most iconic puppet characters of the last fifty years. These include Keith Harris's Orville the Duck and Cuddles the Monkey, Rod Hull's Emu, Ken Dodd's Diddy Men, the Sugar Puffs Honey Monster, the Monster Munch Monsters, Roger De Courcey's Nookie Bear and many more private commissions for ventriloquists across the world.

“Puppet making is one of my big passions encompassing several creative disciplines including sculpting, mould making, model making, sewing, mechanics, electronics and animatronics.

Creating from the design stage to the finished character is incredibly rewarding, working in a various range of materials including papier-mâché, wood, fibreglass, latex, foam, fabric and resins.”

Peter will be speaking about his design and build process, alongside Geoff Felix, Mary Turner and Austin Phillips.

Mary Turner is the creator of such iconic television puppet characters as Captain Scarlet, Lady Penelope and Lord Charles.

Mary’s long association with Gerry Anderson saw her sculpt, build and perform legendary characters for Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Joe 90 and many more. Mary then went on to direct puppet series of her own including The Adventures of Rupert, Cloppa Castle, Munch Bunch and Here Comes Mumfie.

She created a number of puppets for ventriloquists, most notably Lord Charles for Ray Alan in 1974.

Mary will be talking about her many and varied experiences as a puppet maker for film and television, along-side Peter Pullon, Geoff Felix and Austin Phillips.

Steve and Megumi Biddle are a husband and wife team who specialise in teaching, demonstrating and creating origami and paper magic. Steve is British, Megumi, Japanese and their combination is truly a tour de force.

Together have published numerous top selling children’s books, illustrated by Megumi, on origami and papercraft, and have been described as “the undisputed champions of children’s origami.” They have written books for adults, and special publications for the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

They have made many television appearances, including The Generation Game, Record Breakers, and Rainbow, and have consulted for numerous adverts and films.

At Gottle of Geer they will be speaking about ventriloquist and magician Claude Chandler (1896-1977) and their award-winning recreation of his Paper Face.