There are 8 shows and events for adult audiences in The Melbourne Festival of Puppetry from some of the world’s finest puppet artists.
Puppetry for adults is a rare treat on Australian stages these days so don’t miss these moving, sophisticated and often hilarious puppet works.
Book 4 shows and receive 5th show free!
International Shows
A Story of Intima-Sea.
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Times;
2pm, Tuesday 4 July, Wednesday 5 July, Thursday 6 July
6pm, Friday 7 July, Saturday 8 July, Sunday 9 July
Venue; La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton
The Last Man On Earth Is Trapped in a Supermarket
From our neighbours in New Zealand, The Last Man On Earth Is Trapped in a Supermarket is a hilarious, puppet armageddon story. He’s the last man on earth, and he’s trapped in a f*%cking Woolies. Join in the delirium as Tom tries to escape the local supermarket – best he move quickly though, the meat in the chiller is coming back to life, and the fruit and veg want him dead.
“It’s rare to see devised physical theatre of an intimate scale executed with such a strong sense of storytelling, rather than merely being a mashup of ideas and moments“ – Lumiere
“The People Who Play With Theatre are one of the few young companies in Auckland consistently producing excellent devised theatrical works” – Theatrescenes
Age range; 15+
Times; 9.30pm, Thursday 6 July, Friday 7 July, Sunday 9 July
Venue; La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton
Book The Last Man On Earth Is Trapped in a Supermarket Tickets
Interstate Shows
Two Old Pros (Bowral/Sydney, NSW)
Two Old Pros brings together the remarkable talents of two of Australia’s puppet elders in a double-bill of adult works.
Some Remarks Upon the Remarkable Art of Falconry presented by the side-splittingly funny Dennis Murphy, is a parody inspired by watching falconry displays at Medieval festivals. He says, “It was all taken so seriously, it cried out for a satirist.” Odd and fabulous, Some Remarks Upon the Remarkable Art of Falconry will bend your brain and your funny-bone alike.
Loved across the world for his extraordinary shadow works, Richard Bradshaw will present his rarely-seen adult work More Bradshaw’s Shadows. Poignant, funny and with a touch of irreverence, this is a rare opportunity to see one of the late Jim Henson’s favourite artists at work.
A show NOT to be missed.
“Murphy’s greatest strength as a performer is his unquestionable skill as a puppeteer and the depth of characterisation he achieves.” – Lowdown Magazine
“Dennis Murphy is one of the world’s finest glove-puppeteers” – L’Unità Newspaper, Rome, Italy
“Really successful contemporary shadow shows are few and far between. The most famous and completely successful is probably that of Richard Bradshaw, an Australian with a keen sense of humour and a gift of presentation which has brought him international fame.” – John Wright in Rod Shadow and Glove (London: Robert Hale, 1986),
Age range; 12 +
Times; 8pm Thursday 6 July, Friday 7 July, Saturday 8 July
Venue; La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton
Local Shows
A Quarreling Pair: a triptych of small puppet plays
A Quarreling Pair is an intriguing program of three miniature puppet plays inspired by the work of the same name by American avantgarde writer Jane Bowles.
Jane Bowles’ A Quarreling Pair is an intense study of the desire to feel both safe and free in our most precious relationships. Charged with Bowles’ unique blend of comedy and dark candour, this play is juxtaposed with two new works that elaborate on her ambivalent imagery. Each was written for two sister characters. In Mr Peterson’s Milk by Lally Katz, the sisters are fearlessly together, sharing a surreal adventure inside the milkman’s brain. And When They Were Good by Cynthia Troup finds the sisters restlessly inhabiting an old fairytale.
A Quarreling Pair vividly combines object theatre, live actors, puppets and music. Witness three touching short stories brought to life on stage at the hands of actor Caroline Lee and puppeteer Sarah Kriegler.
A Quarreling Pair premiered at La Mama as part of the 2004 Melbourne International Arts Festival, and went to seasons in Castlemaine, Sydney, Rome and New York City.
“… the tiny, intimate A Quarreling Pair by Aphids was a quiet revelation with its shifting weave of human and puppet, voice and soundscore.” REALTIME
Ages; 12 years +
Times; 6pm, Thursday 6 July, Friday 7 July, Saturday 8 July, Sunday 9 July
Venue; La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton
Book A Quarreling Pair Tickets
Life Is a Carousel
The road to the Tree of Life is long and treacherous and the forest is littered with the remains of unfortunate travellers.
Life is a Carousel is a chaotic whirlwind of psychotic mayhem, a grotesquery of improbable creatures and their efforts to make sense of a senseless world.
A collaboration between Sanctum Theatre and Magic Lantern Studio, showcasing the life-size beast-people they have created together over the past few years.
“…full of striking images…shadowplay and puppetry were absorbingly innovative…” The Age
“…startling work that is at once confronting and yet comforting…” Inpress
Age range; 15 years +
Times; 9pm, Thursday 6 July, Friday 7 July, Saturday 8 July, Sunday 9 July
Venue; La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday St, Carlton
Book Life Is A Carousel Tickets
One Night Only
Turmo!l
Politics meets puppetry in a series of short, edgy performances that stab daggers of light into our crazy world. Some comic, some very dark, each of these is a premiere, each packs a punch. They spring from Melbourne’s finest artists and will be accompanied by live music.
Curated by Black Hole Theatre
Artists include Ben Anderson, Bao Ghislain, Rachel Joy, Jhess Knight, Philip Millar, Theresa O’Connor, Rod Primrose, Vidya Rajan, Lulu Wilson
Age range; 15 +
Times; 9.45pm, Saturday 8 July
Venue; La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton
More Bradshaw’s Shadows
For Richard Bradshaw, puppetry has been a hobby since 1952 and full-time since 1969. Although he has directed shows with different kinds of puppets, he specialises in shadow puppetry. Jim Henson saw shows in France in 1972 and the U.S.A. in 1974. He invited Richard to perform in The Muppet Show and in 1984 came to Sydney to make a documentary on Richard’s work. Richard was awarded an OAM in 1986 and shared a Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award in 1987. A DVD has been on sale in Germany since 2004 and his Guide to Shadow Puppets was published in Canada in 2015. In 2016 Richard performed in Turkey and Taiwan and led a workshop for professional puppeteers in Connecticut.
Please note;
this show is the same as what Richard will present during ‘Two Old Pros’ but includes a post show Q&A.
Created and performed by Richard Bradshaw
“Bradshaw’s Shadows, a revue of shadow-puppet skits, is internationally renowned –– and it’s a gem that should be required viewing for anyone wishing to act or direct in the theatre.” – Eileen Blumenthal in AMERICAN THEATRE [N.Y.] September, 2008.
Age range; 12 +
Times; 8pm, Sunday 9 July
Venue; La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton
Book More Bradshaw’s Shadows Tickets
REMEMBER There’s a fabulous program of shows and workshops for kids too as well as workshops for adults.
The 2015 festival sold-out most shows so book early to secure your tickets!
Browse the FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAM, her
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