Local Person: Sam Routledge

by Hobart Magazine

Terrapin Puppet Theatre is a Tasmanian theatre company known for their detailed and bright puppetry shows. Sam Routledge has been their Artistic Director since 2012, and is gearing up for a new Tasmanian tour of Feathers.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I spent my early childhood in Scotland but grew up in Goulburn, south west of Sydney.

What did your journey to Artistic Director look like? Before stepping into the role, I had created and co-created a number of independent works that found national and international success. At the same time, I was completing an apprenticeship of sorts, by working as a puppeteer with leading directors in Australia and overseas.

How has Terrapin changed in your time with them? Terrapin has grown significantly over the past 12 years. We are now positioned within the same funding framework as Sydney Theatre Company and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, all the while staying true to our roots in touring to Tasmanian schools and reaching as many Tasmanians as possible. That has included performances in aged care settings, the creation of Rum’un for the Tasmania Football Club, and co-designing a work with Tasmanian young people in response to the Commission of Inquiry. Terrapin offers enormous public value to Tasmania and Tasmanians and I’m always excited about being able to get that message out.

Feathers is about to begin its Tasmanian theatres tour. What does the creative journey of a work from ideation to stage look like? We’re now developing work with writers where we look at the story together and decide the best way for puppetry to tell it. The writer then creates the dialogue with this in mind, so the puppets can carry as much of the storytelling as possible, with the words supporting that. We followed this process with Feathers, where Jem Nicholas, the actor who plays Maude, a birdwatcher, also performs the voices for all the bird characters. Quite a feat! For puppetry to be at its best, the story needs to feature non-human characters that resonate with children. Also, we really like comedy.

What do you want audiences to leave with from Feathers? Birds are amazing (and so are ferrets). Feathers tells the story of a feathery-tailed ferret, on a search for belonging, something that I feel can resonate with everyone. I hope audiences leave with an understanding that being yourself is the version of you that we all want to know.

What has the role of sustainability played? The puppet making team was able to use a lot of salvaged materials in both the set and the puppets, materials that might otherwise have ended up in landfill. Because our theatre productions are designed to tour schools, everything also has to be built as light and as tourable as possible. That means reducing weight and volume so that when we tour, even overseas, we’re lowering our carbon footprint. Puppet designer and lead maker, Bryony Anderson, brings a really thoughtful sustainability practice to the process. Each character was shaped by the salvaged material it was made from: lacy fascinator fabrics became the Lyrebird, activewear suited the Ferret, and tent fabric which is lightweight, durable, and often discarded, formed the basis of Patsy the Owl.

What’s one thing about your job you wish more people knew? One of the best things about the job is working with extraordinary artists, whether they be performers, designers, or sound designers. I think it’s the deeply collaborative way theatre makers work—being able to think laterally, listen, compromise, and achieve a great result—that can be applied to other sectors where all such things are needed.

Who do you admire? David Attenborough, obviously.

Favourite podcast or tv show? Desert Island Discs.

Secret vice? Going hunting for pop music on CD. There’s a lot out there second hand!

What are you reading now? The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott.

Do you have any pets? Yes. Ricky the standard poodle.

What was your first job? Labourer with my Dad, putting up guardrail.

What are your daily news/social media habits? I listen to ABC Hobart Breakfast and Mornings, FontCast and I read The Hobart / Launceston Magazine, The Mercury, and Apple News.

Your favourite place for…

Breakfast: Room for a Pony.

Lunch: Machine Laundry Cafe.

Dinner: Taste of Malaysia.

Dream holiday destination? The Kimberleys.

Favourite Tasmanian secret? Knocklofty – that’s not very secret but such a great spot!

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