Terrapin Puppet Theatre Boats

“When a children's show like this comes along you have to grab it with both hands.”–Sun Herald Sydney

Boats is an astonishing maritime tale from Australia’s Terrapin Puppet Theatre, which has entertained kids’ audiences for 30 years and has toured internationally for more than 20. Often incorporating surprising techniques, Boats tells of the watery adventures of Nic and Jof, sailors who share a love of the ocean and seafaring. The story unfolds using actors, props, puppets, acrobatics, and sound effects created on stage, including some from an underwater microphone. Those who glimpsed playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer’s playful, poignant style in The Tragical Story of Cheeseboy, performed here in 2012, can look forward to another insightful and adventurous script in Boats.

Based in Tasmania and originally founded with the intent to serve Tasmanian schools, Terrapin Puppet Theatre employs a unique critical review process in which an audience made up of children and industry professionals preview and critique works before shows are finalized. Before reaching this stage—in fact, before the script was written—Boats was creatively developed in collaboration by the Artistic Director, performers, writer, composer and costume designer. Quinn Griggs, who created the part of Jof said that “things happen when we get together like this that none of us could have predicted. These interactions then help to shape the story, the music and the set so it becomes a very dynamic and exciting process.”

WINNER! 2012 HELPMANN AWARD: BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN (Helpmann Awards are the Australian equivalent of the Tonys in the US or the Olivier Awards in Britain.)

Presented by the Wexner Center and CATCO is Kids.



Terrapin Puppet Theatre and the tour of Boats assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body, and through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.

Creative Team

Terrapin Puppet Theatre and the tour of Boats are assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body, and through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.