Two large puppets made to look like the front half of two grey rhinos, being worn by puppeteers so that only the puppeteers' legs are visible. The rhinos 'face' a performer dressed like a zookeeper..

Rampaging Rhinoceros

A hilarious big puppet walkabout act and rhino mask-making workshop

Meet: Rampaging Rhinoceros

Rampaging Rhinoceros is a bizarre yet highly entertaining puppet walkabout act comprising of two rhinoceros body puppets, an exhausted ‘keeper’ and a big, nobbly rhino bum. They might have split apart because of artistic differences, or were they humans once upon a time who have become so thick-skinned, short-sighted and grumpy that they morphed into rhinoceros and a giant bum? The act – better described as pandemonium – is engaging, beastly and heaps of fun.

Rhino Mask Making Workshop

Our drop-in rhino mask making workshop is popular with the whole family. Groups of participants are invited to watch our engaging online instructional video and let their imaginations run wild constructing and decorating our innovative high-quality flatpack cardboard rhino masks. Take a moment to join in, create your own rhino mask and take it home as a memento of your remarkable rhino filled day. ➡️ Check out the Rhino Mask Making Workshop Online Resource

  • “The workshop was very successful, they were all getting so into it… Really visually exciting, the kids loved having something physical to take away”

    Laura Davenport, Hidden Heathbrook Producer

  • “I was so excited by this proposal…We’re absolutely delighted with it, something like this is a wonderful way to get people engaged and thinking about how they can take part in cultural activities and why puppetry is for everyone”

    Sara O’Donnell, Arts Director, Wandsworth Council

  • “Extraordinarily bizarre”

    Robin Morley, Magnetic Events

A performer dressed as a zookeeper, facing the puppets - the life-size puppets of the fronts of two rhinos face the camera.
Two large puppets made to look like the front half of two grey rhinos, being worn by puppeteers so that only the puppeteers' legs are visible. The rhinos 'face' a performer dressed like a zookeeper..
A giant rhino bum! Further away are two front-of-rhino puppets, all being worn by puppeteers. They walk down a path as people watch.
Two parts of the large rhino puppet - the front of a grey rhino, and a comically large back of the rhino. People are milling around them.
A large puppet made to look like the front half of a rhino. Its legs are the legs of the puppeteer, and they're running away from some laughing children in a park.
A child sitting on the grass, decorating a 3D card rhino mask with a red pen.
A woman and a child who is wearing a large, not yet fully assembled, 3D card rhino mask.
People (mostly children) at a long table, decorating 3D rhino masks with pen.
A young child wearing a 3D card rhino mask, decorated in thick multicoloured stripes.
Two children sitting on the grass, decorating 3D card rhino masks.
A crowd of wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
The back of a crowd at night in a city. Most are sitting on the ground. One person standing closest to the camera is wearing a 3D rhino mask made of cardboard, which they've decorated with skulls.
A group of people decorating 3D card rhino masks on the grass. Behind them are two blue gazebos.
A white card rhino mask, decorated with patterns in black pen. It is on the ground, with people behind it decorating their own masks.
A young child holding a 3D rhino mask that she has decorated by colouring in the horns.
A person sits on the ground, decorating a rhino mask with black pen. It's night.
A crowd of children, all wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
A person in a 3D card rhino mask. Behind them are other people, some holding masks.
Someone in a 'zookeeper hat' addresses a crowd of children, all wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
Three people on the grass, all wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
The back of a crowd at night in a city, decorating 3D rhino masks made of cardboard.
Children wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
A crowd in a park, several wearing rhino masks. The focus is on someone wearing a 3D rhino mask decorated with intricate patterns.
Two children, facing away from the camera, wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
A performer in a rhino mask in front of a crowd of children wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated. They're in a park.
A toddler wearing a white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated. Behind them is an even smaller toddler whose head and arms fit into their mask.
A child on the grass, facing away, wearing a white 3D rhino mask which they have decorated with scribbles of black pen.
The back of someone wearing a 3D card rhino mask, decorated with black pen.
A few musicians with drums and a trumpet lead a crowd of children across the grass. All the children are wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.
A trumpet player plays for a group of children in 3D rhino masks.
A crowd of children, all wearing white 3D rhino masks which they have decorated.

Past Performances 

Our Rhinos have Rampaged all over, appearing at festivals and events up and down the UK.

We’ve hosted mask-making workshops at a variety of schools, community centres and festivals including Rose Community Centre Wandsworth, Hidden Heathbrook, Ravenscourt Park in West London, Battersea Power Station, Independent Street Arts Conference, Lyric Hammersmith, Afrika Burn and the Extinction Rebellion protests in 2019.

What’s Next for Rampaging Rhinos?

If you are interested in booking Rampaging Rhinoceros for your project or event, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch.

Cast and Creatives

Artistic Director and Original Concept: Ivan Thorley
Lead Designer and Puppet Maker: Caroline Bowman
Percussion Musicians: Pablo Paracchino, Hal Thompson, Steve Ryan, Riccardo Castelli
Engagement and Workshop Leader: Oliver Hymans
Workshop Assistant: Charlotte Quartermaine
Rhino Mask Design: Nick Barnes
Performers: Iskandar Sharrazuddin, Sam Clark, Jane Crawshaw, Oliver Hymans

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