The Snuff Puppets is thrilled to announce the brand-new puppet festival, Snuffest – an event presenting mesmerising large-scale theatre, film, installations, workshops and unmissable parties. This exciting event will be held at the Footscray Drill Hall, this September.
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.
Following 2021’s People’s Puppet Project with the Vietnamese Community of Australia – Victorian Chapter, the team returns to tell the story of Lac Long Quan (Dragon King) and Au Co (mountain fairy) falling in love and giving birth to 100 eggs which hatched 100 children known as the Bach Viet, the original people of Vietnam. 100 Eggs – Vietnamese Community Movie Night includes puppets, short films, food and music.
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.
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.
The Snuff Puppets have been creating giant puppet spectacles since 1992 for millions of people worldwide. Their work is a collision of visual art, sculpture, design, engineering, music, movement, performance and physical theatre that comes together to produce giant puppets that are brought to life.
The Snuff Puppets work to tackle difficult, awkward and taboo topics for non-traditional art audiences, as they invite their audience to challenge their beliefs through their subversive public spectacles.
With 325 million YouTube views worldwide, the Snuff Puppets have a devoted global following, representing a distinctive and recognisable Australian voice.
“In an age defined by digital spectacle, there is a renewed sense of wonder in these handcrafted illusions” – The Age
Snuffest
Footscray Drill Hall, 395 Barkly Street, Footscray
Event: 6 September – 7 October 2023
Information and Bookings: www.snuffpuppets.com
Image: 100 Eggs – photo by Daniell Flood