Corral around the benches and embrace the allure of Australian seascapes, as you join us to create a unique mechanical reef. Customise and design your seascape and bring it to life with different specimens of coral and laser-cut fish, inspired by the Damselfish (the very same fish that inspired the designs of the starstuff fish you can see on stage in Peter and the Starcatcher). You’ll be shore to have a good time while creating a beautiful, custom-made sculpture.
Under the guidance of Dead Puppet Society’s artisans at our Fabrication Workshop, you will choose elements of your coral reef landscape and fish, paint your seascape with inks colour matched to species native to the Great Barrier Reef, and observe the material of your fish being cut out on the laser cutter, seeing first-hand how laser-cutting technologies are used to build the puppets and props for stage productions. You will then assemble your coral reef landscape inside a glass dome, and construct the mechanism to make it move. Gain an insight into the basic principles of puppet design, and the magic and mechanisms that bring your reef to life.
Celebrate Australia's iconic and beautiful marine life in this hands-on mechanical reef making workshop, combining the craftsmanship of puppetry with the expertise of talented artisans. We hope to sea you there!