Bóbita Puppet Theatre was established in 1961 in Pécs under the direction of Lajos Kós, and it quickly became known for its show-like performances for adult and young audiences (Operasaláta/”Opera Salad”, Séta az állatkerben/”A Walk in the Zoo”) and its shows without words, composed around instrumental rock music (Pink Floyd – Kalevala; Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Pictures at an Exhibition).
First among puppet theatre companies outside the capital, in 1981 they were given the status of professional puppet theatre as a department of the National Theatre of Pécs in recognition of the outstanding work they had been producing for two decades. They operate as an independent puppet theatre since 1 January 2004, and as a non-profit organization since January 2012.
With their quality performances, Bóbita strives to offer programmes to capture all audiences. Besides traditional shows aimed at children—primarily built on classic tales—their repertoire includes open-air and adult pieces.
A prominent event of the puppet theatre is the International Adult Puppet Theatre Festival of Pécs held every 3 years.
In the year of its 50th anniversary, Bóbita Puppet Theatre moved to a new building in the Zsolnay Quarter in 2011.
The beautifully renovated Zsolnay Palace has a grand hall with a capacity of 185, a chamber stage with a capacity of 70, a puppet museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions, a puppet-maker workshop, in which 30 children can work on their puppets at the same time, a Story Corner (Mesekuckó) for the smallest ones, a Hot Chocolate Bar (Kakaóbár) with a terrace and an open-air stage with a playground.
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