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.
For the last 17 years I have been 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 also recently 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.
"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
"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
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 and Universarama!) have been performed at schools, theatres, festivals and events from Cornwall to Kendal and from Exeter to Essex, including six 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!
Scroll down the page to see my latest show dates for 2019!
"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
News
Christmas is on its way!!!
And 'The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness' is back for another year!
Check out all the performance dates below!
If you've seen my new show Tales from the Trees and enjoyed hearing my new song 'Quietly Saving the World', you can hear it again here!
2019 Winter Dates!
Weds 20th Nov 5pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Ysgol y Cribarth, Swansea, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=4155
Thurs 21st Nov 5pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Hundred House Village Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=4154
Sat 23rd Nov 2pm - Myths and Monsters
The Phoenix Theatre, Bordon, Hampshire
https://www.phoenixarts.co.uk/event/myths-and-monsters/
Sun 24th Nov 2pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Quay Arts, Newport, Isle of Wight
http://www.quayarts.org/event/christmassy-christmas-show-of-christmassy-christmasness/
Sun 1st Dec 6.30pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Trevisker Garden Centre, Padstow, Cornwall
https://padstowlive.com/events/the-christmassy-christmas-show/
Sat 7th Dec 2.30pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, Hampshire
https://www.forest-arts.co.uk/event/christmassey-christmas-show-christmassey-christmas
Sun 8th Dec 11.30am & 2.30pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Palace Theatre, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/online/tickets-the-christmassy-christmas-show-southend-2019
Thurs 12th Dec 1.30pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=4174
Fri 13th Dec 7pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Philipstown Community Centre, New Tredegar, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=4181
Sat 14th Dec 11am & 2pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
The Phoenix Theatre, Bordon, Hampshire
https://www.phoenixarts.co.uk/event/christmassy-christmas-show/2019-12-14/
Sun 15th Dec 2pm & 4pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Dorchester Arts Centre, Dorchester, Dorset
Mon 16th Dec 5pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Park Primary School, Bargoed, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=4177
Tues 17th Dec (time tbc) - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
St Gwladys Church Hall, Bargoed, Wales
https://www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on.aspx
Sat 21st Dec 2pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Heartlands, Pool, Cornwall
http://www.heartlandscornwall.com/
Sun 22nd Dec 2pm & 6pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
The Old Bakery Studios, Truro, Cornwall
https://www.oldbakerystudios.co.uk/upcoming-events/squashboxtheatrechristmasdec19
Mon 23rd Dec 2pm & 4pm - The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness
Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, Cornwall
