Trinket, the Robot by Little Wing Puppets

Welcome to the Convention of Inventors! Why do we need inventions? Inventions are there to solve problems, and Professor Doovalcky has plenty of those. His laboratory assistant, a green caterpillar named Gizmo, is always causing trouble. He messes up the laboratory, and is never around when he is really needed.  The two of them present some of their less successful inventions, but what is the problem that really needs solving? Above all, what Professor Doovalacky needs is a friend. Together, he and Gizmo set out to build a robot to be his friend. But Trinket will be no ordinary robot. Trinket will have a special component that gives him the ability to have feelings like a “real human.” Each colour of the special component will represent a different emotion.

But it could be dangerous. It’s never been done before. It could cause Trinket’s circuits to overload.  The experiment works and Trinket start to feel things. Then the audience needs to help Trinket learn about the world of emotions and overcome his shyness. But quickly it all gets complicated. Professor Doovalacky finds himself losing control of his own creation. Trinket finds out that to become human is to not only to feel wonder and joy, but also to feel other emotions like anger, fear and the sadness of saying goodbye to someone when you are not ready to. Having feelings is not easy and to be alive means making difficult choices. 

Based on the tale of Pinocchio, Trinket the Robot is an interactive solo puppet show that explores emotions and offers ways for children to understand different feelings.

The show is aimed at provoking discussion about emotional literacy and provides a framework for younger children to identify their feelings in relation to different colours. For older students, it investigates the theme of loss, and resilience in the face of adversity. It sits well within the Personal/Social and Ethical Capabilities and Wellbeing areas of the curriculum and helps to bring to the surface questions about things that are important to young people.

Some performances on this tour are still pending funding, with confirmation to be advised March 2020. These venues are Powelltown Hall, MiRA (Marysville Information and Regional Artspace) and King Valley Presents.

Touring window: October
Fee: $840 + $450 for technical equipment + GST
Ideal for: Children aged 3 – 10 years and their families