A couple and their thirteen children have organised their own puppet theatre in the Russian Vologda region. The show's popularity grew from performances in the area's kindergartens and orphanages.

Ten of the Starostin’s kids were adopted. And now they have returned to their former home – the Vologda orphanage – with a new family and a new show.

The Starostin family are used to being well-organised at home: the children make the puppets, mom sews the stage curtains and father directs the show.

The parents say that, without such discipline, it would be impossible not only to do the show, but to run the family.

Lyudmila and Sergey have always wanted a big family. So, when they met, they immediately had the idea to adopt many children.
 
But what they didn't conceive from the beginning was the puppet crew. At first, it was for their own entertainment, but it then developed into an almost professional show.

And with popularity among little audiences growing, the family doesn't plan to stop any time soon.