How a treasured childhood memory inspired this adventure about the search for a beetle
'I remember it stood as a symbol of Christmas, summer, water, heat, fun, family and friends. Now, even though my family are living all over Australia, we all still share if we see one,' the Legs On The Wall artistic director says.
But like so much of our natural world, the Christmas beetle is disappearing – the victim of climate change and a loss of habitat. So far the data is anecdotal as numbers are hard to pin down. The University of Sydney and Invertebrates Australia have partnered to recruit the public to do their own count to get a better idea of what is happening.
But as the Australian Museum has said, even anecdotally, the evidence for their decline is 'compelling'.
Thomson has spent a lifetime watching them – and he has also noticed their absence.
'Unfortunately, we're seeing them less and less,' Thomson said.
The search for a Christmas beetle is at the heart of the Legs On The Wall show Beetle, co-created and directed by Thomson, in which a young girl and her new friend go hunting for the critter in her backyard.
Showing at The Joan Penrith on Saturday as part of National Science Week, Beetle follows Sally and her friend as they explore their backyard in a bid to find the beetle, with insects and other animals coming to life via stunning visual effects and giant puppetry.
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Australia might not be a destination of choice for many royals studying abroad, but there are exceptions: King Charles spent two terms at Geelong Grammar in 1966, while Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn spent time at The King's School in 1970. More recently, Australian-born Queen Mary of Denmark's nephew, Count Nikolai of Monpezat, spent a semester at the University of Technology Sydney on exchange from Copenhagen Business School in 2023. After an initial flurry of paparazzi interest, Nikolai was largely left alone, working as a fashion model while in Sydney. For Princess Ingrid – who is completing a three-year degree – time will tell if Sydney provides the same sanctuary.
