The Bench

The Bench
Small moments, big feelings

An elderly woman sits down on her usual bench in the park. She prefers to be alone. But around her the park is alive: a man reading his newspaper, a boy skateboarding, birds chirping and a curious dog passing by. She claims the bench as her own and stubbornly keeps everyone else at bay.

Yet beneath her gruff exterior lies something fragile. And little by little, she discovers that unexpected encounters can open a door – to connection, perhaps even to a friendship she didn’t know she needed.

With its simple scenography and expressive puppets, The Bench unfolds a touching story that speaks to both children and adults. A warm and gentle portrait of the small encounters that can turn an ordinary day into something special.

“It is a rare thing to witness object animation performed with such perfection that not for a single moment is one drawn away from the characters’ movements or the flow, essence and emotional pulse of the story.”
-Teateravisen

“The Bench is something as beautiful as a wordless puppet performance with something important at heart. A down-to-earth story on a tiny scale, made relevant and deeply present in Bjarne Sandborg’s direction and brought to life by the two puppeteers, Rebekah Caputo and Neasa Ní Chuanaigh.”
★★★★★☆ – Iscene

“The illusion is complete – the puppeteers from Teater Refleksion master their craft, and the story is both magical and down-to-earth.”
– Ugeavisen Sydslesvig