Welcome!
Who Am I?
Glad you asked. I am an experienced actor, puppeteer and musician based in Penzance. I have a friendly and informal performance style, deft improvisational skills and a gently subversive sense of humour - which delights adults as well as children.
From 1999 - 2017 I was a member of Cornwall’s renowned Kneehigh Theatre, performing in major national and international tours such as Tristan & Yseult, Cymbeline, Don John, A Matter Of Life And Death and The Bacchae, as well as small-scale village hall shows, including directing and acting in Journey To The Centre Of The Earth.
Last word...
I am currently a member of The Minack Theatre Company, recently appearing in The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch, The Railway Children and The Secret Garden.
I also appeared in Alaska from Blackfish Theatre, One Darke Night from o-region theatre, the film Tin (dir. Bill Scott) and the short Cornish language films An Jowl Yn Agas Kegin (dir.Brett Harvey) and KoninHa Pryv (dir. Laura Hardman). I have also created and directed several theatre performances for The Eden Project, Cornwall.
I spent many years as a professional street performer, appearing at The Millennium Dome, Glastonbury Festival, Manchester Street Arts Festival, Leeds Streets Ahead, Cowes Week Isle of Wight and festivals in Holland, Belgium and the USA.
My aim with Squashbox Theatre is to create shows that are funny, friendly, surprising, inspiring, unusual, informative (and a little bit mischievous!), and which use traditional puppetry and storytelling skills in an exciting and innovative way. (And did I mention funny?)
All Squashbox performances celebrate nature, science, generosity, tolerance and diversity, employing a wholly secular view of this astounding and beautiful world around us.
Hello there!
Welcome to the ingenious, ridiculous, inspiring, surprising, comical, musical, educational, ecological world of Squashbox Theatre.
My name is Craig Johnson and I am a performer, musician and puppeteer living in Penzance, Cornwall.
As a solo artist I perform under the name Squashbox Theatre, creating marvellous, quirky and inventive shows incorporating puppetry, storytelling, natural history, live music and comedy.
I created Squashbox Theatre in 2007 with the aim of providing quality entertainment for children and families in Cornwall. Since then my shows (The Sea Show, Skillywidden, Stones And Bones, Curious Creatures, Tales from the Trees, Myths and Monsters, The Christmassy Christmas Show, Shivers and Shadows and Journey to the Stars) have been performed at schools, theatres, festivals and events from Cornwall to Kendal and from Exeter to Essex, including TEN sell-out summer seasons at the famous Minack Theatre near Land’s End.
Book now for your theatre, arts centre, school, festival, village hall or event!
“Johnson's natural rapport and good humoured fun with the young people make this an absolute celebration of all that is good about theatre for children.”
Petra Schofield, Whatsonstage.com
"Craig's success lies in the fact that he talks to, rather than at, his young audience while involving them in the action as far as he possibly can, and he does it all with a huge sense of joy and fun that is as inspiring as it is infectious. An engaging entertainer to be treasured."
Frank Ruhrmund, The Cornishman newspaper
"Craig Johnson is a consummate actor of rare skills. Totally at ease with his audience - adult and child alike - he combines an innate understanding and delight in storytelling with fantastic comic and musical skill."
Mike Shepherd, Founder and Company Director Kneehigh Theatre
"Just the right balance of humour, fun, wit and education. Keep up the excellent work, you are a true talent and the kids really appreciate you"
Audience feedback, Minack Theatre
News
Spring News
2024 PERFORMANCE DATES BELOW!! (Scroll down)
2024
Dates (so far!)
'Squashbox Songs'
Volume Two is here:
'MORE Squashbox Songs!'
FINALLY, IT'S HERE! The long-awaited second volume of songs and music from Squashbox Theatre!
Seven amazing tracks, including 'The Gods of Ancient Greece' from Myths and Monsters, 'Quietly Saving the World' from Tales from the Trees and 'Shiver and Scream' from my Halloween show Shivers and Shadows.
Plus another four never-heard-before tracks designed to get you tapping your toes and humming along.
Download the whole EP for only £6.00 here
Weds 10th April
4pm - The Sea Show
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/sea-show
Sat 27th April
2pm - The Sea Show
Roseland Festival, Roseland, Cornwall
https://www.roselandfestival.co.uk/
Weds 29th May
4pm - Skillywidden
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Fri 31st May
4pm - Skillywidden
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Sat 1st June
4pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/songs-explorers
Sun 2nd June
4pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/songs-explorers
Weds 26th June
5pm - Wonderful World
The Acorn Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.theacornpenzance.com/events/wonderful-world/
Sun 14th July
2pm - Tales from the Trees
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/tales-from-the-trees-140724m/
Sat 20th July
2pm & 4pm - Wonderful World
Cardinham Woods, Bodmin, Cornwall
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/intobodmin/t-yakdjvd (2pm)
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/intobodmin/t-nogyper (4pm)
Sun 21st July
2pm - Myths and Monsters
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/myths-and-monsters-210724m/
Mon 22nd July
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Weds 24th July
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Sun 28th July
2pm - Skillywidden
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/skillywidden-280724m/
Mon 29th July
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Weds 31st July
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Sun 4th Aug
2pm - Stones and Bones
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/stones-bones-040824m/
Mon 5th Aug
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Weds 7th Aug
4pm - Wonderful World
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/wonderful-world
Sun 11th Aug
2pm - Wonderful World
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/wonderful-world-110824m/
Mon 12th Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Tues 13th Aug
2pm - Wonderful World
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
https://tickets.sterts.co.uk/sales/events/wonderful-world---squashbox
Weds 14th Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Sat 17th Aug
2pm - Journey to the Stars
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/journey-to-the-stars-170824m/
Sun 18th Aug
2pm - The Sea Show
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/the-sea-show-180824m/
Mon 19th Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Tues 20th Aug
2.30pm - Wonderful World
The Old Cattle Market, Helston, Cornwall
https://www.theoldcattlemarket.co.uk/wonderful-world/
Weds 21st Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Thurs 22nd Aug
2pm - Skillywidden
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
https://tickets.sterts.co.uk/sales/events/skillywidden---squashbox
Sun 25th Aug
2pm - Curious Creatures
Penlee Park Open Air Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://penleeparktheatre.com/events/curious-creatures-250824m/
Mon 26th Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Tues 27th Aug
2pm - Curious Creatures
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
https://tickets.sterts.co.uk/sales/events/curious-creatures---squashbox
Weds 28th Aug
4pm - Tales from the Trees
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/tales-trees-0
Thurs 29th Aug
2pm - Journey to the Stars
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
https://tickets.sterts.co.uk/sales/events/journey-to-the-stars---squashb