“Don’t let money be a barrier for creation and expressions of Art,” says Sally Miller.
Established in 2016, Pico and the Golden Lagoon was created by the talented duo of Sally Miller and Jesse Hamilton. Over the years, they have perfected the show with feedback from children and gained extensive knowledge through their studies and experiences abroad, and this has led the show to be uniquely successful in the puppetry world.
“I had created the character Pico as an experiment, later on the show just started as a short folktale with Pico as the narrator in collaboration at other festivals and some libraries in Adelaide,” Miller says.
Pico and the Golden Lagoon is about Pico, who goes on a whimsical adventure to find a mythical place filled with magic. But it isn’t a smooth journey, as Pico is faced with unexpected challenges, meets new creatures, and discovers the magic of nature. “I hope that the show enhances the audience’s appreciation of the natural world and the importance of wild spaces and ecological diversity,” Miller says.
The storytelling raises a variety of ecological and environmental issues, encouraging us to be more sustainable in a way that is lightly pedagogical for the younger generation. “We didn’t intend to make a show about being environmentally friendly and introduce ecology to children through puppetry, but have always been concerned about these issues, and education and awareness is the key to change,” Miller says.
Organically, these issues colour Pico’s world. “I also come from a background of acting study where I learned that theatre can be political, can influence people and have an effect of changing the world, so I guess Pico is playing a role in that pedagogy,” Miller says.
Miller and Hamilton have travelled around the world to share their love of puppetry to numerous communities and perform to an abundance of different audiences. “We travelled to many different countries to gain more experience and education on puppetry and we recently travelled to Indonesia to undertake a residency with Papermoon Puppet Theatre in Yogyakarata,” she says. Travelling abroad has been a massive source of learning for Miller and Hamilton, as they experience communities “having no access to new things or big budgets or even a budget at all,” Miller shares.
Pico and the Golden Lagoon’s background props, puppets and sets are all made out of recycled or reclaimed materials. “We wanted to show what you can make without large budgets, you need to be creative and resourceful and not have it thrown after one use,” Miller explains.
Live music is also a vital part of Pico and the Golden Lagoon, as it enhances the puppetry to be more engaging as “children enjoy seeing it up close with different sounds relating to the storytelling of Pico’s adventure,” Miller explains.
Hamilton and Miller’s goal is to open space for enjoyment of Pico’s story across different generations and challenge audiences’ attention span to focus on live music and storytelling with a lo-fi approach. “Having an acoustic guitar[ist] playing folk music, and different puppets, [gives us] unique interactions with the audience and also a new perspective – of adults enjoying the show – as it can spark nostalgia across different audiences around the globe,” Miller explains.
“We surprisingly get told [by parents] at multiple shows that it is their child’s first ever puppet show, so we are always honoured and hopeful to carry this special torch in keeping puppetry alive in generations to come.”
Pico and the Golden Lagoon, Domain Theatre at Marion Cultural Centre, 28 Feb & 21 Mar, 2pm; 19 Mar, 11am