Adrian Kohler

Adrian Kohler is a South African actor, director, and puppeteer best known for his work with the Handspring Puppet Company. Born in Cape Town in 1956, Kohler began his theatrical career in the 1970s, performing with various experimental theater groups in South Africa.

Kohler co-founded the Handspring Puppet Company in 1981 with fellow puppeteer Basil Jones. The company quickly gained international recognition for their innovative use of puppetry in theater productions. In 1991, Kohler and Jones created the award-winning production "Woyzeck on the Highveld," which combined puppetry, live performance, and animation.
Kohler's work with Handspring Puppet Company has been seen on stages around the world, including the National Theatre in London, the Lincoln Center in New York, and the Sydney Opera House. The company's most famous production is "War Horse," which premiered in 2007 and went on to become a global phenomenon. Kohler served as one of the lead puppeteers for the production, which features life-size horse puppets that are operated by a team of actors.
In addition to his work with Handspring Puppet Company, Kohler has also worked as an actor and director in South Africa. He has appeared in numerous productions at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, including "The Good Woman of Sharkville" and "The Island." Kohler has also directed productions of "Hamlet" and "The Tempest" at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.
Kohler's work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2011, he and Jones were awarded the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for their work on "War Horse." The production also won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2008. Kohler and Jones were awarded the prestigious Kyoto Prize in 2014 for their contributions to the arts and philosophy.
Kohler's most recent work includes the production "Ubu and the Truth Commission," which premiered in South Africa in 1997. The play, which was co-created by Kohler and Jones, uses puppetry and live performance to explore the human rights abuses that occurred during apartheid in South Africa.