Terrapin’s predecessor was the Tasmanian Puppet Theatre which was founded in 1970 by (Lyndon) Peter Wilson and Peter Oldham as the Tasmanian Puppet and Marionette Theatre. In 1972 the name was modified and Peter became its sole Artistic Director. Peter and Nigel Triffitt were responsible for the creation of the famous Momma’s Little Horror Show in 1976.

The Tasmanian Puppet Theatre folded in 1980 and Peter Wilson went on to start Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in WA and ran it for many years before moving to New Zealand in 1998. Nigel Triffitt went onto to create Secrets and other classics for Handspan Theatre in Melbourne.

The late Jennifer Davidson, one of the designers of the Tasmanian Puppet Theatre, received support from the community and the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board to create a new company from the ashes of the old one.

Terrapin Puppet Theatre was subsequently founded in 1981 and Jennifer began a concerted campaign to establish a Tasmanian schools touring circuit. Terrapin was very successful with this and during Jennifer’s time with the company many resources were built up and the company had a particularly strong design reputation. The company had a large full time staff including puppeteers. Some of the artists involved with the company during this time were Sandy McCutcheon, Tom Samek, Jindra Rosendorf and Noriko Nishimoto. Greg Methé, who is still working with the company today, designed his first show for Terrapin 1985. Heartburn Hotel, which was to be revived nearly 20 years later, was also created during this period.

Jennifer retired in 1992 and Annette Downs was appointed Artistic Director. Annette continued Terrapin’s tradition of playing for young audiences, but with a stronger emphasis on theatre presentations with higher production values; a position that resulted in Terrapin presenting a production in Hobart’s historic Theatre Royal for the first time. Terrapin also toured internationally for the first time, staging Desires in Budapest, and Little Red in Korea and Taiwan. Annette mentored Philip Mitchell during the 1990s which subsequently led to Philip being appointed as the Artistic Director of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. Other artists involved with the company during this time included Lian Tanner, Kirsty Grierson, Don Hopkins and Sue Giles (now Artistic Director of Polyglot Puppet Theatre). One of the most successful productions created during this period was The BFG: Big Friendly Giant, which enjoyed success in Hobart then toured Australia over the subsequent three years.

In 1999, Jessica Wilson took over as Artistic Director. While still creating work for schools, Jessica explored productions for adult audiences, resulting in Frankenstein and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, both of which attracted interest from interstate and overseas. Working with Jessica during this period were artists such as Melissa King, Melinda Mills, Phil Lethlean and Colin Sneesby.

In 2004, Annie Forbes was appointed Artistic Director and made the move from her native New Zealand. Annie was responsible for Terrapin hosting the 2nd National Puppetry Summit in 2006, and created The Storyteller’s Shadow: A Celebration of Hans Christian Andersen, which toured Tasmanian schools then went on to be presented in Denmark, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Annie’s production of The Legend of Ned Kelly featured design by co-devisor Richard Jeziorny and video imagery Cazerine Barry, utilising the pristine scans of Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly series, generously provided by the National Galley of Australia and the Nolan Estate. Other artists involved with the company during this time included Sam Routledge, Tim Denton and Laura Purcell, who continues to perform with Terrapin.

Terrapin’s current Artistic Director, Frank Newman, commenced in 2007. His first production for the company was Explosion Therapy.

Terrapin acknowledges the publication The Space Between – The Art of Puppetry and Visual Theatre in Australia by Peter J Wilson and Geoffrey Milne (Currency Press), from which some of the information in this history is sourced.

The Soldier's Tale (1981) with Ilonka Craig, Anthony Ackroyd and David O'Halloran

Little Red Hen (1983) with Jennifer Davidson

Princess with the Echo (1985)

Silent Movie -Changing Places (1985)

The Curiosity Shop (1986)

Heartburn Hotel (1988 & 2006)

The Flying Flopps (1990) with Philip Mitchell

Another Place, Another Space (1992) with Kirsty Grierson

Gammer (1991)