Dreamer in the Deep

Dreamer in the Deep is a 45-minute family puppetry adventure presented by Dream Puppets Australia as part of the Melbourne Festival of Puppetry 2026. When Dreamer's bed becomes a sailing boat, the half-child, half-animal hero journeys through Australian waters with a magical seahorse, travelling from seaweed forests and the ocean depths to the Great Barrier Reef to rescue a leafy sea-dragon from a greedy lion fish. Innovative blacklight puppetry, original music and vivid visual artistry bring an array of funny, exotic and dangerous sea creatures to life, including an accordion-playing crab and an opera-singing cleaning shrimp. The production is designed for children aged 2–6 and accompanying adults. Performances run from 11:30am to 12:15pm on Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September 2026 at La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton. Festival programming includes staggered shows, with free snacks and juice for children and coffee for adults available between shows. Tickets are currently advertised at $15–$25; book through the official La Mama page. The venue information lists accessible toilets and mobility access, and La Mama accepts Companion Cards. Accessibility information is venue-supplied and visitors with specific requirements should contact La Mama in advance at info@lamama.com.au or 03 9347 6948.