Lost Dog is an innovative play of puppetry and object theatre from Spanish theatre company Cal y Canto that will be performed for the first time in the UK this autumn as part of Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival.

Without words, this touching, thought-provoking story is told by actors from the perspective of a wandering, abandoned dog, enabling a small and intimate audience to experience life on the streets through an animal’s eyes.

Set in a large shanty doghouse constructed from recycled materials and with benches for audience seating, the play follows a disarmingly lifelike puppet dog and his many adventures as a stray.

The upbeat and entertaining tale with a serious message at its heart has been striking a chord with audiences across Europe and will premiere in the UK at the Tunbridge Wells festival on Saturday 12 October.

Featuring incredible puppets and striking visual storytelling, there’s a happy ending for the dog in this story, but it also raises the point that many animals aren’t so lucky. In a journey that sees the dog meet homeless people along the way who sadly have nowhere to go at the end of the piece, the play also highlights the wider issue of homelessness.

“Puppets can be very effective at getting across serious messages and the puppet in Lost Dog is incredibly lifelike,” says Linda Lewis, Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival creator.

“With no text, this is a universally watchable play, enabling the audience to really immerse themselves in the story and understand the issues of abandonment and homelessness from the animal’s perspective. The show premiered in Spain in 2015 but has never been performed in the UK until now, and we’re delighted to have it as part of our line-up this year,” she adds.

Lost Dog joins a packed programme of UK and international talent who will be performing at the third biennial Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival. Taking place between 11 and 13 October in venues across the town, the popular Kent event continues to grow in size and ambition each time, and this year’s three-day festival is brimming with moving, funny and brilliant puppetry for all ages.

For more information on Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival visit https://twpuppetryfestival.org. For more information on Lost Dog and to book tickets visit https://twpuppetryfestival.org/events/cal-y-canto-the-lost-dog/.