Spike the Echidna a Little Wing Puppets production

SPIKE THE ECHIDNA WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL FIVE-VENUE TOUR OF THE NEW ENGLAND NORTH WEST

​Little Wing Puppets' Spike the Echidna has completed its run across the New England North West, delivered through the Arts North West On Tour Program. The production visited five venues from 4–8 August 2026, bringing puppetry and storytelling to audiences in Boggabri, Gunnedah, Bingara and Tenterfield.

600 people attended across the region over the five-day tour, with full houses in Gunnedah and Bingara and intimate closed sessions in Boggabri and Denison Street.

Thank you to Little Wing Puppets, all participating venues, and our Local Government Partners for helping bring this production to the region.

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LITTLE WING PUPPETS' 'SPIKE THE ECHIDNA' TOUR CAME TO THE REGION

Follow a baby echidna on his journey to find out where he belongs.…  Stolen as an egg from his mother’s nest by a sneaky rat, the baby echidna hatches far away from home. A young girl, playing alone in the bush, finds him. She is there on her own because she is being bullied by other children. Because the baby echidna has no spikes yet, she doesn’t know what kind of creature he is. She tries to work out where he comes from, but accidentally puts him in dangerous situations – in the nest of a crocodile, an emu and a turtle. He feels frightened, rejected, alone. As the story unfolds, she helps him to discover where he belongs, and he helps her to find her own “spikes” and stand up to the bullies.

Spike is an interactive experience for a family audience, with lively original music by Mal Webb. It is entertaining and fun, as well as a catalyst for a discussion about difference and belonging. It’s also an exploration into the biology of Australian animals, especially the egg-laying echidna. After the performance there is a demonstration of shadow puppetry techniques, introducing children to a hands-on story-telling medium that is highly accessible to young people.

Spike was written in collaboration with acclaimed author Anne Brooksbank, whose work has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Books 2012. Spike has been created under the mentorship of Richard Bradshaw, an internationally regarded puppeteer who has received an Order of Australia for Service to the Arts and Fabrizio Montecchi, of Italy’s world renowned shadow theatre company Teatro Gioca Vita.

Written by Jenny Ellis & Anne Brooksbank

Directed by Jacob Williams & Clare Batholomew

Music by Mal Webb

Puppetry mentoring by Richard Bradshaw & Fabrizio Montecchi

Puppets and set by Jenny Ellis, Jeremy Lavender, Lauren Redpath, Freya Pitt & Nick Wollan

This project was proudly commissioned by the Australian Children’s Theatre Foundation and supported by Regional Arts Victoria.

NENW TOUR DATES (COMPLETED 2026):

📌 Tuesday 4 August 2026 - Boggabri Public School - Closed session

**📌Wednesday 5 August 2026 - Civic Theatre, Gunnedah **

**📌Thursday 6 August 2026 - The Roxy Theatre, Bingara - The Roxy Theatre - Bingara Visitor Information Centre on 02 6724 0066 or visit the **Roxy Website.

📌Friday 7 August 2026 - Dension Street Early Learning Centre - Closed session

**📌Saturday 8 August 2026 - School of Arts, Tenterfield **Get your tickets here