Melbourne Festival of Puppetry 2023

A story about handing down traditions, inspired by the Haenyeo women divers of Jeju Island, Korea.

A puppet-human-bike musical that triumphs over the extraordinary travails of one unbelievable bike heist!

An action story in the world’s most dangerous and exciting library

After heavy rains a magical rainbow tiger comes from a rainbow to visit Dreamer. They share adventures.

A Wergaia tale that lets you know what happens if you mess with fire – watch out!

A surprising, heartfelt tale, where nature brings friendship and hope to a grumbling Mr Bumblegrum.

Playful moon folktales from around the world!

With no magic and no tricks, this circus bunny is in a fix! Can Fritz save the day by saving the show? 

IN SEARCH OF THE GIDDY GIRD BIRD is like watching a toy box come to life.

A Detective Story, told with Puppetry, where you help solve the case.

A chaotic slapstick puppet show, packed with adventure, cave exploration, and battles with colossal bacteria!

Set to a fabulously retro soundtrack with sounds from the sizzling 60’s till now it’s an eye-popping puppet feast for grownups.

Prepare to be ”Love Bombed” by the wickedest cast of salacious extraterrestrials you’ll ever meet!

Surreal characters drop into this Sushi Counter for mindfulness tips and ridiculous Sushi therapy

A raucously funny late-night puppet slam by the new generation of puppetry artists.

Multidisciplinary artist UB is sharing her skills to create participant’s own shadow puppets.

Did you know Kermit the Frog is actually a fancy sock puppet?! Paris Balla will guide you through making your own fabulous sock creation and teach you the puppetry techniques to be as marvellous as Kermit.

A playful, fun and creative workshop that take participants through designing, making and performing with their own simple rod puppet. 

In puppetry we say “anything can be a puppet’.  Join artist Paris Balla to see how ordinary household junk can be repurposed to create a marvellous puppet.

How to make a bear cry

Sonny Tilders (Design Director and CEO – Creature Technology Co.) will talk about his career in creature making over some 30 years by showcasing some of the more interesting and unusual project challenges he has come across from the miniature and complex to the enormous and spectacular. 

Incorporate digital 3d techniques and processes into your puppet making workflow

Discover how to expand your making repetoire with digital design, sculpting, printing, and scanning. Learn how to take advantage of the opportunities presented by new technologies.

Jacob Williams is the co Artistic Director of Lemony S Puppet Theatre as well as current puppetry director on ‘Bluey’s Big Stage Play’ (Andrew Kay Productions) and Windmill Picture’s TV show ‘Beep and Mort’.  His 20+ year career has taken him to Broadway and back again, working across Australia and the globe.  

Tamara Rewse and Hamish Fletcher of Things of Foam and Wood are two of Australia’s finest puppet makers working across film, television and theatre.

Join Tamara and Hamish for a in depth mould making masterclass.

Join Steve Coupe and Sue Wallace from the Sydney Puppet Theatre for a deep dive into the creation and manipulation of the marionette.

How the puppeteer moves the marionette is very dependent on how it is designed and made. It is a stringed instrument of a particular kind.