"A Bucket Of Beetles", By Indonesian Artists Present At Sydney Opera House

JAKARTA - Successfully attracting spectators in the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, the contemporary puppet show "A Bucket of Beetles" by Papermoon Puppet Theater from Yogyakarta, Indonesia for the first time attending the Sydney Opera House Australia, Thursday.

Papermoon Puppet Theater again invites spectators, especially in Australia, to feel the magic of dolls, nature and imagination on a stage full of meaning.

The show is open to families and audiences of various ages and promises an inspiring and touching theatrical experience.

Raising the story of Wehea, a small boy who lives in a tropical rainforest and has a very close relationship with the surrounding natural world, the A Bucket of Beetles presents an extraordinary adventure that begins when he meets a very special horn beetle.

This encounter led him to an epic adventure that changed his life. The storyline of this show takes the point of view of a four-year-old child, using a doll design that is directly inspired by the images of the child's imagination.

Head of Children, Family and Creative Learning at Sydney Opera House Tamara Harrison appreciated the presence of this show in Sydney.

"We feel very lucky to be able to bring Papermoon Puppet Theater to Australia and introduce their work to the audience in Sydney. Through this show, we are invited to appreciate the little things in life, because from there we learn to understand the greater meaning," he said, in a statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney, Thursday, June 5.

"The story in the A Bucket of Beetles talks about the hopes, connections and dreams we all have, no matter where we come from," he added.

Meanwhile, at the opening of the A Bucket of Beetles show on Thursday, the Acting Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia Sydney Andos Manggala L. Tobing expressed his pride.

"We are very proud to see Indonesian artists appear on prestigious stages such as the Sydney Opera House. The presence of the Papermoon Puppet Theater not only shows the strength of Indonesian performing arts, but also strengthens cultural relations between Indonesia and Australia. This show reminds us all of the importance of protecting the environment and celebrating simple but deep humanitarian values," he said.

"We believe this kind of art exchange is a tangible form of people-to-people connection, which is an important foundation in bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia. Through art, we can understand each other, respect and build bridges of empathy between nations," he explained.

More than just a friendly story, A Bucket of Beetles invites viewers to see beauty in small things as a first step towards understanding and caring for bigger things such as water, soil and air that support our lives.

It is known that Papermoon Puppet Theater, founded in Yogyakarta in 2006 by Maria Tri Sulistyani (Ria) along with visual artist Iwan Effendi, has become one of the most innovative puppet art groups in Southeast Asia.

With more than 30 show works, installations and exhibitions hosted in 62 cities from 15 countries, Papermoon Puppet Theater is known for its ability to revive lethal objects and create emotional narratives through the puppet medium.

They are also initiators of the Puppet Party, international biennial performances that present puppet artists from around the world to appear in a communal atmosphere in Yogyakarta. Their commitment to art has been recognized through various prestigious awards, such as the 2024 Ministry of Education and Culture Award (Pelport category), the 2024 Barrymore Award for the Ramayana Project with EgoPo Classic & Kalantari Theater, the 2018 DIY Governor's Cultural Award, and the 2018 Green Room Award for the best work for young viewers.

The appearance of A Bucket of Beetles received a warm welcome from around 165 participants who were present in the Sydney Opera House "The Studio" room.

"The appointment is very unique. The projected visuals are so beautiful, bringing us into the atmosphere of the forests and Indonesian villages. The story is simple, about the cycle of life, but it is displayed very clearly and meaningfully. They have really succeeded in presenting an authentic feel of Indonesian village," said one of the viewers named Pat Hana.

Organized with the support of a grant from the Australia-Indonesia Institute under the auspices of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the performance performance was also welcomed by representatives from the Australia-Indonesia Institute, DFAT officials for the New South Wales region, local school students who run Indonesian language learning programs, the arts and culture community, Indonesian and Australian businessmen, and the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney as a form of support for the promotion of Indonesian arts and culture in Australia.

After Thursday's inaugural appearance, the A Bucket of Beeple show will open to the public on June 7-June 8, 2025.