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
Summer News 2025
'Squashbox Songs'
Volume Two is here:
'MORE Squashbox Songs!'
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
Songs for Explorers!
This summer, for a limited time only, experience ‘Songs for Explorers’, a musical journey through
our amazing universe!
I’ve teamed up with musicians extraordinaire Ben Sutcliffe and Zaid Al-Rikabi (The People’s String Foundation) to bring you a fun-packed show for children and adults of all ages, featuring fabulous music from three incredible musicians – who also happen to be very silly people!
As if thats not enough, prepare to meet some of the crazy characters and puppets from your favourite Squashbox shows!
See show dates and venue info below!
2025 Summer Dates
Sun 6th July
2pm - Stones and Bones
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/stones-bones-160725m/
Sun 13th July
2pm - Myths and Monsters
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/myths-and-monsters-130725m/
Sun 20th July
2pm - Skillywidden
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/skillywidden-200725m/
Mon 21st July
4pm - Stones and Bones
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/stones-and-bones-0
Weds 23rd July
4pm - Stones and Bones
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/stones-and-bones-0
Thurs 24th July
2.30pm - The Sea Show
Drimpton Village Hall, Beaminster, Dorset
https://artsreach.co.uk/event/squashbox-sea-show
Fri 25th July
10.30am - The Sea Show
Cranborne Cecil Memorial Hall, Wimborne, Dorset
https://artsreach.co.uk/event/squashbox-sea-show
Sat 26th July
2.30pm - Tales from the Trees
Coronation Park, Helston, Cornwall
https://discoverhelston.co.uk/event/tales-from-the-trees/
Sun 27th July
2pm - The Sea Show
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/the-sea-show-270725m/
Mon 28th July
4pm - Stones and Bones
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/stones-and-bones-0
Weds 30th July
4pm - Stones and Bones
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/stones-and-bones-0
Thurs 31st July
6pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall
https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/event/songs-for-explorers
Fri 1st Aug
11.30am - Stones and Bones
Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Cornwallhttps://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/event/squashbox-stones-and-bones-2025/
Sat 2nd Aug
6.30pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Coronation Park, Helston, Cornwall
https://lovehelston.co.uk/event/songs-for-explorers/
Sun 3rd Aug
2pm - Wonderful World
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/wonderful-world-030825m/
Mon 4th Aug
4pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/songs-explorers
Tuesday 5th Aug
11am - Skillywidden
Above the Bay, Falmouth, Conwall
https://www.abovethebay.co.uk/event/squashbox-theatre-skillywidden-at-above-the-bay-copy
Weds 6th Aug
4pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/songs-explorers
Fri 8th Aug
4pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://minack.com/whats-on/songs-explorers
Sat 9th Aug
3pm - The Sea Show
’Summer in the Scene Dock’, Theatre Royal, Plymouth
https://theatreroyal.com/summer-in-the-scene-dock-week-1/
Sun 10th Aug
2pm - Journey to the Stars
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/journey-to-the-stars-100825m/
Mon 11th Aug
2pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
Tues 12 Aug
3pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
The Poly, Falmouth, Cornwall
https://thepoly.org/whats-on/event/3608/squashbox-theatre-the-minack-present-songs-for-explorers
Weds 13th Aug
4pm - Skillywidden
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Thurs 14th Aug
6.30pm - SONGS FOR EXPLORERS!
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance,Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/songs-for-explorers-140825/
Fri 15th Aug
11.30am - Myths and Monsters
Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall
https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/event/squashbox-myths-and-monsters/
Sat 16th Aug
2.30pm - Curious Creatures
Coronation Park, Helston, Cornwall
https://discoverhelston.co.uk/event/curious-creatures/
Sun 17th Aug
2pm - Tales from the Trees
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/tales-from-the-trees-170823m/
Mon 18th Aug
4pm - Skillywidden
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Weds 20th Aug
4pm - Skillywidden
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Thurs 21st Aug
11am & 2pm - Stones and Bones
The Poly, Falmouth, Cornwall
https://thepoly.org/whats-on/event/3594/squashbox-theatre-presents-stones-bones
Fri 22nd Aug
11.30am - Curious Creatures
Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall
https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/event/squashbox-curious-creatures/
Sat 23rd Aug
2.30pm - Myths and Monsters
Coronation Park, Helston, Cornwall
https://discoverhelston.co.uk/event/myths-monsters/
Mon 25th Aug
4pm - Skillywidden
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Weds 27th Aug
4pm - Skillywidden
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
https://www.minack.com/whats-on/skillywidden-0
Thurs 28th Aug
3pm - The Sea Show
Millennium Green, Bridport, Dorset
https://www.bridport-arts.com/event/the-sea-show-squashbox/
Fri 29th Aug
11.30am - Tales from the Trees
Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Corrnwall
https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/event/squashbox-tales-from-the-trees-2/
Sat 30th Aug
2.30pm - Stones and Bones
Coronation Park, Helston, Cornwall
https://discoverhelston.co.uk/event/stones-bones/
Sun 31st Aug
2pm - Curious Creatures
Penlee Park Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
https://www.penleeparktheatre.com/events/curious-creatures-310825m/