The Paper Escaper

The Paper Escaper – written by Gita Bezard (The Last Great Hunt) and directed by Sam Routledge and Davina Wright – invites the audience to immerse themselves in a world where imagination knows no bounds. Expect the unexpected as you become captivated by the magical book illustrator and his transformation from bad guy to ally.

Developed with captivating visual storytelling, The Paper Escaper is an enchanting, wordless journey that transcends language. The story unfolds through an array of expressive puppetry, featuring a vibrant cast of paper-crafted characters that each bring their own unique charm to the story. Puppet design was by Bryony Anderson, with sets and costumes by Charlotte Lane, sound by Jacky Collyer and lighting by Nick Higgins. The puppets were brought to life by Noah Casey, Scout Macdonald and Bella Young.

Audiences will encounter mesmerising dancing flame puppets that flicker and sway, curious out-of-this-world tentacles and a frustrated illustrator who grapples with the complexities of creativity and his own perfectionism. Complemented by a lively soundtrack that enhances the emotional depth of the experience, this show had the audience gasping, giggling and clapping at various performance points.

A well-received part of the show was the informative, playful and fun Q&A session at the end of the performance. This is an opportunity to see behind the curtain and understand how the puppets work, as well as how the stage is utilised. This interaction helps the audience appreciate the hours of work that the team puts into their craft of puppetry. Tasmania-based Terrapin Puppet Theatre have been creating puppetry for 40 years and have taken their visual storytelling from Hobart to the Sydney Opera House and the Lincoln Centre in New York to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the UK.

Angela Reedman-Polinski

Photographs by Peter Mathew

Find out more: terrapin.org.au/work/the-paper-escaper