Nau mai, haere mai
- Creating Wonder -
with Puppetry, Storytelling and Music
Welcome to
Birdlife Productions
where the power of puppetry, music and a great story bring wonderment to children's lives. In this high-tech fast-paced digital world, we offer a counter to ‘screen time’
that allows space in ‘real-time’ for children to watch, listen and reflect.
We create live theatre that uses a ‘handmade’ aesthetic, both sophisticated yet accessible, where the (apparent) simplicity of our craft creates space for magic to happen!
Why puppetry?
Everybody loves a puppet - something in us is delighted when an inanimate object
comes to life; it is as if, like gods, we can breathe life into things!
When watching a puppet, we give them permission to attain the extraordinary,
as they can do and say things that are beyond the realm of the actor.
In this way the puppets’ world transcends the boundaries of the mundane and the normal, helping us to enter a magical world.
We make high quality theatre shows for children, specialising in works for Schools
and Kindergartens, as well as touring around the Theatres and Festivals
of Aotearoa/New Zealand and Internationally.
Come and join us!
What’s hatching at Birdlife?
Some news from our nest
Arts on Tour 2023
Look out for ‘The Boy with Wings’ who will be winging his way across the length and breadth of Aotearoa/New Zealand in the Easter School holidays 2023, all thanks to Arts on Tour
Aya and the Butterfly
Keep your eyes open in 2023 for a brand new show for littlies based on a book by Dr Masoon Salama; written through the eyes of a child, allowing sadness and grief to be present while also encouraging ‘moving on’ and ‘letting go’ – metaphorically reflected by the life-cycle and metamorphosis of a Butterfly.
Flight!
Exploring themes of communication, inclusivity, the healing power of kindness , ‘Flight’ is about a young girl experiencing grief and confusion after her parent’s divorce. This work has enjoyed developmental support from the National Theatre for Children and Barbarian Productions.
Effy at TAHI Festival
Using the enduring delights of Mask and Puppetry, 'Effy' is a poignant, nonverbal work in development that portrays the human condition with its many imperfections and the yearning to belong. Shown as part of the Tahi Festival at BATS Theatre, Pōneke Wellington.