By 
A talented Omagh comedian is just one of a handful of people chosen to bring one of Ireland’s most iconic and haunting creations to life in Derry this Halloween – the legendary She Wolf.
Towering at six feet tall, the wolf will prowl the streets of the Maiden City as part of the internationally-acclaimed Derry Halloween festivities with Tyrone’s Charlotte Turnbull playing the part of the wolf’s shoulders.
The puppet has been created and loaned to Derry Halloween by Galway based arts group Macnas, renowned for their mythical and magical storytelling, and masters of creating immersive experiences for modern audiences.
Their work has captivated crowds across Ireland and beyond, through parades, theatre shows, installations and performance art, and the She Wolf takes pride of place amongst their collection of bespoke creations.
Recently, Charlotte and a team of fellow artists at the North West Carnival Initiative had the opportunity to learn the skills to control the mammoth creation under the expert tuition of Macnas artist and puppeteer Tommy Casby.
Aged 37, Charlotte said she ‘always loved’ the idea of puppeteering.
“It was organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council in conjunction with Macnas, which is a spectacle based arts company based in Galway,” she explained. “After applying for the position, six of us were selected from the North West and we spent September training for the event.
“We were trained I the North West Carnival initiative and we’ll be taking part in the ‘Waking of the Walls’ event and the annual parade,” said Charlotte.
“I’m the shoulders of the wolf, which is the heaviest part, so I have been doing a lot squat presses to prepare.”
Speaking of the progress made throughout training for the event, Charlotte continued, “It’s been really good!
“The way they have trained us in controlling the wolf is very life-like and when the lights are up and we’re all dressed in black under it, it looks amazing.”
Charlotte and the team are also set to meet a couple of famous faces ahead of the parade.
“We’re meeting Martin and Roman Kemp and a dance troupe on Thursday afternoon for a ‘Dance Under the Moon’ in the Guildhall for a television segment,” she said.
“We will also be performing at the Derry Wall four times a day, every day this week week leading up to the Halloween parade.”
Now, with such valuable experience under her belt in the world of puppeteering, Charlotte has her eyes set on what the future may hold.
“Having been trained up now, it has opened opportunities for future events which is pretty exciting,” she said.
“I hope we can announce more event coming up, specifically in the North West, very soon!”
