What a lucky duck I’ve been lately, taken out to a string of overwhelmingly fantastic shows! First up was Sydney Dance Company’s De Novo, the most unexpected piece of contemporary dance I’ve ever seen. It was extraordinary, with incredible choreography and impossible bodies. But also what was so surprising, an alien vs predator themed dance, and a postmodern dialectic coupled …
Smart Arts at Pine Street
No plans for Friday night? I have a proposition for you, better than the usual after work drinks at the pub. Get down to Pine Street Creative Arts Centre and support the valuable and prolific Chippendale arts organisation. They host a range of creative courses, exhibitions and programs year round. Smart Arts is Pine Street’s annual youth mini-fest, and the …
Umbrella showreel shoot
What a huge day! After packing the wheelie bin, steel supports, red velvet, puppets, snacks, gimp mask, teddy bear, torches, model train, skeleton, donkey whip and octopus into the car I was off to Botany Bay. The fantastic Dan loaned us use of the Lairhouse which was to be our studio for the day. Yes folks, Umbrella Theatre will be …
Sam in New York
Umbrella Theatre’s own Sam Hickey is currently in New York with a Broadway show! What a glamorous babe she is. Here she is, captured on film, terrifying Americans in Times Square. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxU3corHoco&feature=youtu.be] Erth’s Petting Zoo is a ridiculously fun introduction to dinosaurs and the prehistoric. The whole show was home grown here in Sydney. The puppets are exquisite and so …
A Salvage Spider!
What is a salvage spider, I hear you ask? A most fearsome beastie that lives in the bush, in Norther NSW. He eats teddy bears and creeps about, spinning a giant web to seduce further prey. [vimeo http://vimeo.com/56297780] The salvage spider is also an amazing puppet created entirely out of rubbish by a community collective, One Off Makery. Key member …
Latest appearances on the interwebs
We got a few nice little mentions around the place recently. A great little summary of our recent adventures appeared in the latest Oz Puppetry Email Newsletter, alongside a lot of puppetry related activities in Sydney and beyond. A lovely piccie and write up from A Sydney Summer about Umbrella Theatre at the Rocks. And also a few great mentions …
Murder in Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival have just released this thought provoking and intriguing vivisection of Murder. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4phyoRIDzs] I enjoyed every moment – a highly recommended insight into puppetry, death and the human condition. The creative team are incredibly talent and the whole production has been brought together masterfully. Having watched this project grow from its inception as a 5 minute development in 2008, …
Murder and Puppets in Sydney Festival
Murder. Its an evocative concept, and not for the faint hearted. A moving and visually stunning exploration, inspired by Nick Cave’s legendary Murder Ballads album, Murder is the hottest show of Sydney Festival 2013. Way back in 2008, I was involved in the very first creative development of Murder, at Carriageworks for Underbelly Festival. We then performed a remount at …
Old Mate takes on Peats Ridge Festival
Happy New Year! And what a New Year celebration it was! The beautiful Natalia and I took Old Mate on an Umbrella Theatre outing to Peats Ridge Festival for some fun and frivolity roving the site on the Saturday and Sunday. We even got a (somewhat nonfactual) mention in Time Out magazine in the lead up! The sun was beating …
Umbrella Theatre at Peats Ridge Festival
Umbrella Theatre are delighted to present Old Mate roving around the Peats Ridge Festival this year! We’ll be harassing & entertaining passers by with the tales and ramblings of Old Mate on; 30 December 11.00 & 3.30pm 31st December 11.00 & 3.00pm See you there to share a yarn and reflect on the passing of another wonderful year! xx