Erth’s Wild Rumpus
The House comes alive with wild creatures
Event details
| Date | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 12:30pm |
Western Foyer roving from 12:30pm, Forecourt from 1:30pm |
| Sunday, 27 September 2026 | 12:30pm |
Western Foyer roving from 12:30pm, Forecourt from 1:30pm |
| Monday, 28 September 2026 | 11:00am |
Forecourt roving from 11am, Western Foyer from 12:30pm |
| Tuesday, 29 September 2026 | 12:30pm |
Western Foyer roving from 12:30pm, Forecourt from 1pm |
| Wednesday, 30 September 2026 | 11:00am |
Western Foyer roving from 11am, Forecourt from 12pm |
| Thursday, 1 October 2026 | 11:20am |
Forecourt roving from 11:20am, Western Foyer from 1pm |
| Friday, 2 October 2026 | 11:00am |
Western Foyer roving from 11am, Forecourt from 12pm |
| Saturday, 3 October 2026 | 12:00pm |
Forecourt roving from 12pm, Western Foyer from 1:45pm |
| Sunday, 4 October 2026 | 12:00pm |
Forecourt roving from 12pm, Western Foyer from 1:45pm |
| Monday, 5 October 2026 | 12:00pm |
Forecourt roving from 12pm, Western Foyer from 1:45pm |
| Tuesday, 6 October 2026 | 12:00pm |
Forecourt roving from 12pm, Western Foyer from 1:15pm |
The Forecourt is wheelchair accessible. For further information on accessibility, please contact our Accessibility team.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
Calling adventurous young performers: Erth is seeking a group of curious, confident and collaborative young people to take part in a unique live performance experience during Wild Things, running from 26 September to 6 October 2026.
Selected participants will work with Erth’s professional puppeteers and creative team, learning how movement, teamwork and imagination bring extraordinary creatures to life. You will be trained to operate some of Erth’s menagerie of puppet creatures in three Saturday masterclass workshops in the lead-up to the event.
Successful performers will then be invited to participate in select roving performances at the Sydney Opera House during the school holidays.
Who we’re looking for
- Young people aged 11 to 21
- Enthusiastic physical performers – no professional experience required
- Reliable team players who enjoy learning, experimenting and creating together
- Participants available for at least 2 training rehearsals and a minimum of 4 daytime performances during the season
Key details
Training sessions will be held at the following locations and times.
Erth’s Myrtle St Studios, Marrickville:
- Saturday 5 September 10am - 2:30pm
- Saturday 12 September 10am - 2:30pm
Sydney Opera House:
- Saturday 19 September 10am-2:30pm
Performances: Daily from Saturday 26 September - Tuesday 6 October
Times: Various call times with morning/afternoon shifts between 11am and 4pm
Where: Forecourt and Western Foyer, Sydney Opera House
Fee: This is a volunteer opportunity
How to apply
- Email a short expression of interest telling us about yourself, why you would like to be involved and any relevant performance, movement, puppetry or creative experience.
Please include your name, age & suburb, plus contact details for a parent or guardian (name, email, phone); - Draw or otherwise create a picture or image of you as a “Wild Thing”; and
- Film a short video of you doing something interesting.
This could be operating a puppet, doing a dance or telling a story (max. 2 minutes, phone quality is fine).
Applications extended to: 5pm Friday 4 September 2026
Apply: Email your EOI, picture and link to a video to registrations@erth.com.au
Applicants under 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian.
We welcome applications from young people of all backgrounds and abilities.
This event is one of many free experiences offered as part of Wild Things. Explore the full free program and see what else is available.
Theatre TravelsIf you get the opportunity to experience any of Erth’s work – go!
Gallery
of
Cast and creatives
Artistic Director Scott Wright
Puppet and set design Steve Howarth and Erth
Executive Director Scott Andrew
Producer Stephanie Liebeck
Cast
Samantha Hickey, Oliver Durbidge, Sansona Trinh, Jayden Le, Reina Takeuchi, supported by a reckoning of young local performers
About Erth Visual & Physical Inc.
Erth is a team of creators, makers and performers pushing the limits of design, content and experience. For over thirty-five years, Erth’s puppetry-based theatrical productions and innovative community projects have challenged and inspired audiences around the world. Their work is driven by a deep curiosity about natural history, First Nations stories and urban mythology. Today, the company is recognised internationally as a leading innovator in physical and visual theatre, and a creator of bold, unbridled work for children.
More for little explorers (ages 3-6)
Attending this event
Practical information about this event, ticketing and visiting. If you have questions or need help, see our general terms and conditions for tickets and events or contact us.
Ticket information
If you have further questions or need help, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events or contact a member of our team on 1300 SOH TIX.
A resale restriction is in place, meaning it is unlawful for a person to resell their ticket for more than 110% of the face value. In all cases, it is advisable that tickets are only purchased from authorised channels, to protect your rights should the event be cancelled or postponed and to be sure you receive all necessary communications.
The authorised agency for this event is listed under ticket pricing. 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.
A booking fee of $8.95 applies per transaction. Prices are 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. Babies aged 0-2 years old at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap. Children two years and older will need to hold a standard ticket.
Please contact Box Office on 1300 SOH TIX as soon as possible if you are unable to attend.
eTicket or postal delivery should be used wherever possible. Tickets will be emailed three days prior to the event. Download your e-Ticket and have it ready on your mobile device for scanning before you queue to enter the venue.
At 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. All Sydney Opera House foyers are accessible, with lift access to the main and western foyers.
There will be food trucks and a fully licensed bar operating on site from when gates open until shortly before the end of the concert. Vegan and vegetarian options, as well as both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase.
No BYO alcohol, beverages, food or glass. Ticketholders are welcome to bring their own water bottle (as long as it isn’t made of glass). Refillable water stations will be available on site.
There is no cloaking facility on the forecourt. Please check conditions of entry for more information about what cannot be brought into the event and leave these items at home.
For the safety of everyone at the event, certain items not permitted. No strollers, chairs, laser pointers, sparklers, professional cameras or recording devices or selfie sticks, sharp knives or objects. No oversized items larger than an A4 piece of paper including extra-large backpacks, briefcases and suitcases. All bags will be checked on entry, your cooperation is appreciated. Please check conditions of entry for more information about what can and cannot be brought into the event.
There are no ATM facilities available on the Forecourt. Please bring a credit or debit card for any purchases to keep transactions quick and queues short.
Cashless payment methods are strongly recommended. Please bring a credit or debit card for any purchases to keep transactions quick and queues short.
Yes. The safety and security of our visitors, patrons and staff is our highest priority. Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags on entry. Please travel lightly and do not bring items that are not permitted as per our conditions of entry.
For safety and security reasons there will be no pass-outs at any of the forecourt events. You won’t be able to re-enter once you have left the venue.
There is high demand for tickets to the forecourt events and many are expected to sell out. To avoid disappointment, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets online before travelling to the Opera House. A temporary box office on the Eastern Side, near the ticket scanning point, will be open approximately 30 minutes prior to gates opening each day.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy. The Opera House has also developed a Child-friendly Code of Conduct to engage with our youngest visitors.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House is a smoke-free site. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
The safety and security of patrons, visitors and staff is our highest priority. Entry to venues inside the Opera House including theatres, the Utzon Room, the Centre for Creativity and Bennelong Restaurant is via a single entry point located under the Monumental Steps.
In line with our venue security procedures, all ticketholders must present their bags and personal belongings for visual inspection or x-ray screening prior to entering the building.
We hope all our audience members, including those children with us, have a wonderful time. Please keep disturbances to a minimum. Ticketholders who interfere unreasonably with another’s enjoyment may be asked to leave.
If your child becomes unsettled during the performance, we ask that you step outside with them until they settle. Note that you may not be readmitted until there is a suitable break in the performance.
Filming and photography is not permitted inside the venue, unless expressly authorised by us. You must switch your mobile phone off or to silent while in the venue.
Refreshments are available to purchase from our theatre bars, with foyers open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
The Opera House has a range of restaurants and bars on site. Explore our venues.
Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show. It is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly. Larger items – including handbags bigger than A4-size, backpacks, umbrellas, suitcases and prams – are not permitted inside the venues and must be cloaked.
Yes, pram parking is available outside our theatres. All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers.
Foyer doors are usually open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 120 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Theatre doors will open 30 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 15 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
If you’re collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts.
We’ll aim to 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.
Where an event has a lock-out period, 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.
Location and access
Forecourt
Set below the famous white sails the Forecourt is located at the base of the Monumental Steps, between the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens.