Face to Face  Exhibition
Open daily 11.00am - 7.30pm in the Lower Glasshouse on the
Glasshouse site.
Admission £2.50 adults £1.50 concession.

Children wearing masks from the Paperface workshop will get in free!

Explore the use of masks through the ages, close up and personal and come face to face with theatrical masks from around the world.

With wonderful ritual masks from the Central African belt, Congo, Gabon, and Uganda, and the Demon dance masks from Bhutan in the Himalayas, to the Topeng masks from Bali and Java, to the Commedia dell 'Arte leather masks from Italy and Britain all available for the first time in a mask festival in Britain.

There will be a rich selection of British and European mask makers exhibiting, who have created vivid theatrical installations to bring the masks alive: Footsbarn, Trading Faces, Steven Whinnery and Mike Chase to name a few.

Don’t worry; there are masks to try on too! See yourself in a traditional mask, looking through the eyes into a mirror. There will be opportunities for children to make masks on open days, to try masks on and play around in them. There will also be site specific dance mask pieces in the central exhibition amphitheatre.

Experience the giant competition masks contributed by local schools and community groups, witness educational videos and take part in workshops for all the family.

Come and join in or watch from the side lines as Bim Mason runs his Giant Head mask using workshop, or Steven Jon making paper masks on the themes of the festival.

Whether you are a mask specialist, novice, an interested family member or collector, The Face to Face Exhibition will bring you up close and personal to the most exciting and vibrant mask collection ever seen in Britain.

Join us in the Exhibition for the auction on Saturday 27th at 4.30pm when the auction masks in the exhibition will be taken down and demonstrated by mask trained performers before bidding commences.  Some of the masks on exhibition will be for sale individually and in sets, some of which have been used in theatre training and performance by leading universities and drama colleges internationally.