Step into this whimsical wonderland where table tops grow grass and water bottles become the depths of the ocean.

Making use of nothing but household objects and the performers’ hands, Argus transcends from the simple to the sublime exploring the fragile attempts of this little creature to find a home in a world where he just doesn’t fit in.

Working on principles of found objects and transformation, this quietly touching piece highlights the beauty of an impossible life; one that is full of playfulness, joy and laughter.

Argus will expand the imaginations of adults and children alike.

Venue Format
Theatre, Black Box Venue
Technical Rating
C, D, The production can be modified to suit most venues
Touring Party
5

Hell bent on bringing our own brand of magical entertainment to the world, our work is created for a wide variety of audiences. We shy away from conventional views of the world and seek to mythologise the modern experience through provoking curiosity and wonder. Focussed on visual theatre, and contemporary applications of puppetry, we believe that this ancient form, given new life can generate deeply imaginative experiences. We think that puppetry has been caught too long in the world of shallow entertainment and slapstick comedy and seek to innovate and educate in order to demonstrate the potential that non-human performers have, and advocate their use in mainstream theatre. This is not puppet-theatre. It’s a Dead Puppet Society.

Company Website
deadpuppetsociety.com.au

Unique Selling Point

The story was engineered when we realised how deeply simple this form of puppetry was and we wanted for it to resonate against a narrative that was universal and presented on an epic scale. We wanted for this to look at the entire development of the earth and every species on it as well as telling a personal story about a little creature who just wants to find his way home. A grand adventure on a miniature scale, told with nothing but hands.

Community Engagement

In order to engage with local communities while on the tour the Dead Puppet Society will be able to deliver workshops run by the performers introducing the art of puppetry with a particular focus on manipulation techniques and construction. These could be run with school groups (both secondary and primary), local artists, or interested adults.

Should the presenter be able to afford Topology to play live with the production, workshops with the company are also available.

Additionally, artist talks will be organised to promote post-show discussion and offer an insight into the artistic practice of the company.

The Dead Puppet Society can provide professional development opportunities for local teachers to allow for a deeper engagement with the performance and facilitating the experience of their students if they come to see the show.

Additionally, we will provide workshops introducing visual theatre practice for local artists and arts workers with a focus on both creating work and teaching workshops geared towards puppetry and visual dramaturgy practice. These will serve both artists who are wanting to diversify their practice or local arts workers who could deliver workshops themselves once the company has moved on.