Where to find puppet repairers in Australia?

Please note: this post only applies to repairers in Australia. If you are from another country, I would suggest visiting The Puppetry Homepage, UNIMA USA, or UNIMA UK.

Unfortunately, I am unaware of people in Australia who specifically offer puppet repair services. But there are things to do if you need repairs:

The first step to finding someone is to contact the maker of the puppet you want to get fixed. The makers will usually be able to either: offer a repair service themselves; or give you advice on who to contact. They may also be able to provide instructions on how to do things yourself (like replace strings on marionettes). However, if you do it yourself, it may not be as good as getting a professional to do it… so it’s buyer beware on that suggestion.

If you’re needing to repair a puppet that is used for performances, then this is the best advice I can give. Each puppet will be different, and each puppet type has different building and repair techniques. Since no two puppets are alike, I can’t offer a list of ways to repair your puppet… not that easy I’m afraid.

So if the puppet maker is unknown or unavailable for assistance, what else can you do? Try contacting another puppet maker of course (check out my list of links, the ‘where to find puppet makers‘ post, and the ‘where to buy and hire puppets‘ post for a list of sellers and makers) to see if they can help you. Not all puppet makers can, or will, help - but it’s worth a shot. Additionally, you can try a prop maker as well; although they might not necessarily have the knowledge or appreciation to do it either. I would recommend contacting UNIMA Australia for a list of puppet makers and/or asking them to help you find a repairer in your area.

However, if your puppet is more of a display item, or a vintage puppet like a Pelham, then you may want to contact your local doll collectors society for names of doll repairers. Although this is not the best solution - doll repairers often don’t know puppet making/repairing techniques - it may be something that will be easier to find than a puppet maker/repairer local to you. If you’ve got a vintage puppet, it’s probable that you also only need someone to make cosmetic repairs, rather than replacement of parts.

In a nutshell, the best solution is to find the original puppet maker and have them do the repairs for you. They will have the best understanding of how the puppet is made, how it works, and how to fix it.

By the way, the best way to reduce the amount of repairs needed is to preserve and protect your puppets properly (ah, alliteration! :wink: ). Check out my previous posts on storing puppets and on protection from sweaty hands.