The Snuff Puppets have announced a brand-new puppet festival.
Snuffest is an event presenting mesmerising large-scale theatre, film, installations, workshops and unmissable parties. This exciting event will be held the Footscray Drill Hall in Melbourne, supported by the Go West Fund.
The festival will begin with the return season of Snuff Puppets 2022 hit show, SWAMP – At The End Of The World. The comeback will be good news for audiences who missed out on its sold-out 2022 debut.
SWAMP is an immersive theatrical experience, with giant puppets, transforming sets, original music and huge projections. SWAMP stars iconic Australian characters, brought to life in Snuff Puppets handmade style – a crafty Magpie; a bloodthirsty Mosquito; a dopey Koala; an egocentric Lyrebird; a skittish Frilled-Neck Lizard; a grand old Thylacine; a poisonous Cane Toad; and a 22-meter Serpent puppet devouring the cosmos.
Snuffest
- Wednesday 6 September – Saturday 7 October
- Footscray Drill Hall, Melbourne
- 395 Barkly Street Footscray, Victoria, Australia
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Following 2021’s People’s Puppet Project with the Vietnamese Community of Australia – Victorian Chapter, the team returns to tell the story of Lạc Long Quân (Dragon King) and Âu Cơ (mountain fairy) falling in love and giving birth to 100 eggs which hatched 100 children known as the Bách Việt the original people of Vietnam. 100 Eggs – Vietnamese Community Movie Night includes puppets, short films, food and music.
23 September at 6pm ($5-10) With immense public interest at Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival in February, the Snuff Puppets is bringing back their Cochlea, a 15-metre inflatable inner ear and performance-installation designed to amplify voices from the frontlines of gender. At Cochlea, the audience is invited to step inside this most unique body part, our organ of listening and balance, which becomes an intimate space and symbol of our shared humanity. Cochlea creates an interactive spatial and audio installation that challenges the silencing of gender minorities by amplifying their voice, and in doing so, pushes against harmful stereotypes and cultural norms. 30 September at 12-5pm, free.
Snuffest will end with their infamous Snuff Party, the culmination of a week-long workshop, collaborating with UK based Fizzy Fingers and local artists to showcase brand-new art with unique costumes. Founded in 2008 by the acclaimed multi-disciplinary artist, Rebecca Rutter, Fizzy Fingers is a UK-based alternative fashion and event company. Snuff party will deliver big puppet energy for a fun night. Expect a mystery masquerade, magic mayhem, dancing and music. 7 October at 8pm till late ($10-20)
Follow all things Snuff at the website here.
