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26 Jul 2025

Zee and the City

Puppets with Guts

One giant puppet. One buzzing city. One epic adventure.

Past event

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BD: Festival 2025 hosted a spectacular adventure through the streets of Bradford – which was led by a towering puppet…

Meet Zee, a fearless young woman from the heart of Bradford who’s mad about custom cars and buzzing bees. Zee has big dreams for the future – and on Saturday 26 July 2025, this four-metre puppet invited people on a joyful journey through Bradford’s past, present and future as she looked to find a home for nature in the city…

Zee and the City was a high-energy celebration of youth, culture and community in one thrilling street adventure. Created especially for Bradford 2025 by Puppets with Guts, this blend of music, storytelling and awe-inspiring puppetry winded its way through the city centre before reaching City Park as part of BD:Festival 2025.

Watch our videos below to see how the team created the show and Zee, the puppet herself.

Sketch drawing og a large puppet, Zee
Watch the making of Zee
Watch the making of the show

About Puppets with Guts

Puppets with Guts create jaw-dropping, large-scale puppetry that’s playful, powerful and full of imagination. Famed for combining bold big puppet spectacle with cutting-edge creativity, they bring people together through unforgettable performances in public spaces.

Credits
Produced at 101 Outdoor Arts Creation Space and Drill House at Out There Arts.
Lead image: Designed by Ben Holden (BJ the Bear).
Zee, in a yellow and blue tracksuit surrounded by audience members who are stood in a circle.
Photo Credit: Scott Salt/Big Blue Whale
Zee, dressed in a yellow and blue tracksuit in Bradford's Mirror Pool.
Photo Credit: Scott Salt/Big Blue Whale
Women who has a yellow cardboard car around her body.
Photo Credit: Scott Salt/Big Blue Whale
Puppet, Zee and cardboard cars around her in the foreground
Photo Credit: Scott Salt/Big Blue Whale
Male with red and orange cardboard car slotted over his body.

Partners

With special thanks to

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