Women in Australian history from the First Fleet to the early 1900's.

Then and Now looks at the determination, courage and good humour of Australian women. Using story-telling techniques, visual aids, audience participation and puppets, students are transported back in time to explore the vast differences between the way things were done then, compared to now. The “What am I?” segment has students identifying everyday objects from the past including a screw driver and drill, wash board, wooden pegs, and a pre-electric iron as they explore a time when cleaning clothes was a much bigger task than throwing them into a machine.

The Story: When Louise (a life size child puppet) just can’t get to sleep; her mother resorts to telling her bedtime stories of Australia’s past but instead of going to sleep, Louise’s head is filled with questions of why and what happened then. The result is 50 minutes of entertaining, informative theatre.

With lavish period costumes, a versatile set and a collection of adorable puppets, the show flows seamlessly from stories of the first fleet, through stories of the early immigrants of the 1800’s to the early 1900’s. Students are amazed at the fashions of the late 1800’s as Mary Lee (South Australian Suffragette) explains each of her many pieces of apparel as she dresses in front of the audience.