Edward the Emu
The award-winning Monkey Baa team brings to the stage a new imagining of the classic Australian books by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement. Edward and Edwina both wonder if there is more to life than being an emu but after adventures beyond the enclosure, they discover that the best thing you can be is… you!
In the Playhouse | Kids & Families
COVID-safe and event information
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Opera House is our priority. When you return to the Opera House, you will notice some important changes that have been implemented to keep the community safe, which are regularly reviewed and updated in consideration of the Public Health Order prevailing at the time. Please follow our conditions of entry at all times:
- Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask;
- As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage; and
- Within venues, always take your allocated seat.
Please refer to our updated General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events for detailed information about our ticketing policies. These conditions may change between the time of purchase and the event date. Ticketholders will be contacted directly regarding any changes to their event.
Please check our plan your visit page prior to attending the Opera House for the most up-to-date information.
Pre-sale and on-sale information
Onsale timings:
· Tuesday 18th January: Insiders pre-sale 9am
· Wednesday 19th January: What's On pre-sale 9am
· Friday 21st January: General Public on sale 9am
Season runs from Saturday 9 April to Saturday 23 April, 2022
Saturday 9 April, 10.30am
Saturday 9 April, 12.30pm
Sunday 10 April, 10.30am
Sunday 10 April, 12.30pm
Tuesday 12 April, 10.30am
Tuesday 12 April, 12.30pm
Wednesday 13 April, 10.30am
Wednesday 13 April, 12.30pm
Thursday 14 April, 10.30am
Thursday 14 April, 12.30pm
Saturday 16 April, 10.30am*
Saturday 16 April, 12.30pm
Tuesday 19 April, 10.30am
Tuesday 19 April, 12.30pm
Wednesday 20 April, 10.30am
Wednesday 20 April, 12.30pm
Friday 22 April, 10am
Friday 22 April, 12pm
Saturday 23 April, 10am
Saturday 23 April, 12pm
Saturday 16 April, 12.30pm
Tuesday 19 April, 10.30am
Tuesday 19 April, 12.30pm
Wednesday 20 April, 10.30am
Wednesday 20 April, 12.30pm
Friday 22 April, 10am
Friday 22 April, 12pm
Saturday 23 April, 10am
Saturday 23 April, 12pm
*Audio Described Performance
If you wish to book a ticket for the audio described performance please phone the Contact Centre on 02 9250 7777 or email bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com.
Standard tickets from $29 | $8.50 Booking Fee applies per transaction
For any special access requirements phone the Contact Centre on 02 9250 7777 or email bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com.
Ticket | Description & price |
---|---|
Standard | Ages 2 years and over |
Premium | $49 |
A Reserve | $39 |
B Reserve | $29 |
Insider | Insider Members save 20% on this performance. |
Premium | $39.20 |
A Reserve | $31.20 |
B Reserve | $23.20 |
Groups of 8+ | Groups save 20% on this performance. Please call +61 9250 7700 for more information |
Premium | $41.65 |
A Reserve | $33.15 |
B Reserve | $24.65 |
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
The authorised agency for this event is Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the FAQ below.
Use your Creative Kids Voucher
Sydney Opera House is also registered as a Creative Kids provider. Your Creative Kids Voucher can be redeemed for a ticket to this performance in combination with a ticket to the Edward the Emu Drama Workshop.
To use your Creative Kids voucher for this performance, click here.
This show runs for approximately 50 minutes, with no interval.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
In English | Wheelchair accessible | Audio loop available | Audio Described Performance available
Saturday 16 April 2022, 10:30am - Audio Described Performance with pre-show Tactile Tour at 9:30am
An audio description service to enhance the experience of customers who are blind or have low vision is offered for selected performances at the Sydney Opera House. This is a live commentary of the visual elements of a performance, by trained volunteer audio describers. Audio description is relayed via a free headset and receiver linked to the FM radio system.
Tactile tours allow patrons who are blind or have low vision to have a hands-on experience. Patrons are given access to costumes, props and stage set in order to capture the atmosphere of the work. Tactile tours occur before the performance.
If you wish to be book a ticket for the Audio Described Performance please phone the Contact Centre on 02 9250 7777 or email bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com.
Click here to download the Access FAQ Sheet
Find out about accessibility at Sydney Opera House.
Recommended for ages 4+
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Children aged 0-23 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap free of charge. All children occupying a seat or aged 2 years of age must hold a valid ticket.
Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a mask.
“Monkey Baa’s work makes kids think as well as feel”
Jackie French AM
A heartfelt, clever and funny new tale.
The award-winning creative team from Monkey Baa Theatre Company are back with a brand-new take on another much-loved tale, Edward the Emu. More than an adaptation, this is a unique imagining of two beloved picture books, Edward the Emu and Edwina the Emu.
Edward is bored with his lot. Being the only emu at the zoo has left him feeling glum and under the impression that the grass is greener in everyone else’s enclosure. Maybe being a seal or a lion, or a snake might be a better option in life for a lonely bird? Convinced that the other creatures are more popular, Edward breaks ranks and goes to find the fun and along the way, finds Edwina! Written for the stage by Monkey Baa’s Artistic Director Eva Di Cesare (Diary of a Wombat, Josephine Wants to Dance) we follow the emus as they hilariously navigate their own feathered existential crises, seeking to find their place in the world. Meanwhile, unaware of the birds’ internal worlds, their human keepers are in hot pursuit to restore order to the zoo.
With exceptional, world-class puppet creation from Bryony Anderson and Alice Osborne’s puppetry direction, an original score from composer/sound designer Nate Edmondson, set and costume design by Isabel Hudson (Best Stage Design of An Independent Production, 2020 Sydney Theatre Award), lighting design by Matt Cox and inventive storytelling from Di Cesare, the emus’ journey of hijinx and tenderness leads them to discover that the best thing you can be is …. you!
Sydney Opera House presents
A Monkey Baa Theatre Company production
EDWARD THE EMU
Based on the books by Sheena Knowles & Rod Clement
Written for the stage & directed by Eva Di Cesare
Illustration by Rod Clement
Edward the Emu trailer
Edward the Emu - Trailer
The award-winning Monkey Baa team brings to the stage a new imagining of the classic Australian books by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement.Edward the Emu trailer
Press play to watch video
About Monkey Baa Theatre
Monkey Baa Theatre Company creates and presents great theatre for young people. They collaborate with internationally acclaimed authors, award-winning creatives, and most importantly, imaginative young people, in bringing their shows to life.
Over 24 years, Monkey Baa has become one of Australia’s widest touring companies with 28 national tours to 135 regional and remote communities, 5 international tours and over 3000 performances reaching over 1.5 million young people.
The stories Monkey Baa shares embrace social and cultural connections, celebrate our rich cultural heritage and inspire young audiences to learn about the world and their place in it.
Venue Information
Performances are being sold to 100% capacity in line with the NSW Public Health Order. This includes all shows in the Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Studio, Playhouse, Drama Theatre, Utzon Room and Forecourt. Please note that you will be seated directly alongside other ticketholders.
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Transport options
- The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
- Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel and COVID-19 safety measures. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House.
Travel to Edward the Emu fare-free!
All modes of public transport across Greater Sydney will be free for 12 days during the April school holidays. Free transport runs from 4am on Thursday 14 April 2022 until 3:59am on Tuesday 26 April 2022.
Make the most of your experience...

Ticket Only
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Ticket + Junior Day Pack
Explore the Sydney Opera House with a Junior Adventure Tour, get 15% off tickets to the show, and enjoy a delicious lunch and drink at Opera Kitchen. Click below to find out further details. The Child Day Pack price must only be purchased in conjunction with an Adult Day Pack price.

Ticket + Prepaid Food and Beverage
Add a drinks voucher or food voucher to your purchase and redeem it at any of the foyer bars inside the Opera House.

Ticket + Tour & Dine
Attend a performance, enjoy a meal at Opera Kitchen, and take a guided Sydney Opera House Tour. See menu below. Note: the tour may be sold out or unavailable on your selected date. If there is availability, you will select your desired tour time in the following screen. Please check you have the "Tour & Dine" product displayed in your cart before you continue to payment.
What safety measures have you implemented?
Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of everyone on site, and we are closely following NSW Health guidelines and advice. The Sydney Opera House is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government. For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you when visiting, please see our plan your visit page.
What am I required to do as an audience member?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage.
Within venues, always take your allocated seat.
For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you, please see our plan your visit page.
Do I need to be vaccinated to visit the Sydney Opera House?
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Am I required to wear a mask?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
How are you managing contact tracing?
Contact information is required when making a booking with us and upon arrival at the Opera House, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events and our Customer Privacy Statement.
As the ticket purchaser, you are responsible for recording the contact details of your guests. Contact information will only be used for the purposes of contact tracing, if required, and will be deleted at least 28 days after your event.
What time do I need to arrive before the event?
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
Will there be bag checks, and is cloaking available?
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
Can my baby sit on my lap?
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Babies aged 0-2 years old at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap. Children 2 years and older will need to hold a standard ticket.
Does my child need to wear a face mask?
Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.
Who are the authorised ticket sellers for this event?
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
What if I can't come to my performance?
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you, find out more information here.
Will there be food and beverages available for purchase in the venue?
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
Will there be pram parking at kids performances?
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Can I smoke at the Opera House?
- The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House will become a smoke-free site from Saturday 1 January 2022.
- By becoming a smoke-free site, the Opera House seeks to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand smoke, as well as minimise the impact of smoking on the environment, including litter and pollution of the surrounding marine environment.
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