Erth’s Dinosaurs – From Hatchlings to Giants

Erth’s Dinosaurs – From Hatchlings to Giants

Sydney Opera House

There’s something quietly radical about sitting in a theatre full of children and adults, all leaning forward in shared wonder. In an age of relentless screens and speed, Erth’s Dinosaurs - From Hatchlings to Giants offers a different proposition: attention, curiosity, and awe.

Framed as a live wildlife presentation, the work blends storytelling with science to bring prehistoric life vividly into the room. We encounter creatures both familiar and surprising  from a baby Triceratops to the wide-eyed Leaellynasaura, and the strikingly local Australovenator. The emphasis on Australian dinosaurs is a particular strength, grounding the global myth of “dinosaurs” in a specific and proudly local context.

What distinguishes this production is not just the scale of the puppetry, though the larger creatures are undeniably impressive, but its transparency. The stage design is elegantly portable, never competing with the puppets themselves. Instead, it invites the audience into the act of creation: a fold-out illustrated frame, a small digital camera, simple but deft theatrical mechanisms. We see how the illusion is made, and that revelation becomes part of the delight.

The dramaturgy is deceptively sophisticated. Big questions are embedded lightly within the action: could a carnivore be raised as a herbivore? Did dinosaurs sing? What happens when one gets sick? These provocations are never laboured; they emerge organically through interaction, humour, and gentle narrative turns.

Crucially, the work maintains a deep respect for its young audience. Invitations onto the stage are handled with care and clarity, creating moments of genuine participation without tipping into chaos or condescension. The performers remain warm, precise, and responsive, holding the room with a confidence that allows space for unpredictability.

And then there is the emotional arc. We move from lush, playful prehistoric landscapes to the looming shadow of the extinction event - a shift handled with surprising tenderness. The concept is made clear without overwhelming its audience, and importantly, the work gestures toward practical ways of thinking about and responding to loss in our own time. Rather than closing down, it opens out: extinction is not only something that happened, but something we are implicated in. Even here, the production resists spectacle for its own sake, choosing instead to frame loss in a way that is accessible without diminishing its weight.

Despite featuring some of the largest creatures to walk the earth, the show is full of small, endearing details: a clumsy toddler T. rex, a gently chaotic crèche of baby dinosaurs. It is this balance, between scale and intimacy, knowledge and play, that gives the work its distinctive power.

Created by Erth Visual & Physical Inc., long recognised as leaders in puppetry, this production does more than animate dinosaurs. It animates the space between generations, inviting audiences of all ages to sit together and imagine — slowly, collectively, and with delight.

Review by Kate Gaul

Image: Daniel Boud