Ronnie Burkett's career began at age seven with a prophetic encyclopaedia and a mum after some peace and quiet.
"It sounds like just a press release but it's not, it's the truth," Burkett says. "When I was seven my parents had bought a set of encyclopaedias. I was bothering my mother one day and she said, 'Ugh, go. Just go, grab a book.' So I did. I grabbed an [encyclopedia] volume that said P and it flipped open to puppets and I thought 'Oh, wow. That's what I want to do.'"
![Puppeteer Ronnie Burkett with his marionettes. His show <i>The Daisy Theatre</i> features at this year's Sydney Festival.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180114180152im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/h/u/z/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0gs98.png/1515827173096.jpg)
The Canadian puppeteer began touring shows around Alberta, Canada, at the age of 14, and 15 years later he formed the Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes. He's been playing on Canada's major stages for years, and this month, Burkett and his hand-made wooden marionettes are back in Sydney with a new show.
"The family joke when my parents were alive was, 'Oh if that encyclopaedia had opened to podiatrist and pediatrician or something, you would've been a doctor now.'"
![Ronnie Burkett's show reflects the state of the world.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180114180152im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/g/w/p/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0gs98.png/1515827173096.jpg)
The Daisy Theatre is an unscripted show of satire, comedy, outrageous musical numbers and a beautifully expressive cast of 40 marionettes. A puppet revue for grown-ups, The Daisy Theatre reflects the state of world, never shying away from the pain, beauty, joy and absurdity of life.
"With Daisy it's like a toy box for me," says Burkett, "because I don't have to follow a script, I can build whatever I want.
"When I was a young performer I would battle with the audience in a way, because I wanted every show to be the same, I wanted the same reaction every night and a friendsaid to me,'you honour the text, but you play with the melody, you riff on the melody.' That spoke to me."
The marionettes' performance is an improvisation feeding off the news of the day and the energy of the audience.
"If the audience is up here," says Burkett, lifting his arms, "I don't need to bring them down, or if they're down, I don't need to bring them up. We will go with the rhythm they are at and modulate it till we're all having a conversation."
Burkett even lets his audience decide what comes next. In a segment called "Diva slot", a round of applause for each character or song determines what's coming.
"That makes it pretty immediate," says Burkett, "I can't pre-plan what my audience will choose."
For Burkett, puppetry is more than just a "fairytale", it's an opportunity to talk about the world through more than one discipline.
"You have to be an actor too, I went to theatre school," says Burkett. "You're also a designer. My chief mentor was an artist, an actor, a playwright, so every time I thought I'd done something well I'd show him, and he would say, 'that's fine, but who are you studying dancing with? Who is your singing coach?' He reminded me constantly that it's so many disciplines."
The Daisy Theatre is on as part of Sydney Festival until January 26 at Seymour Centre. www.sydneyfestival.org.au
TODAY'S FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Aerialize
Aerialize, an Australian aerial and circus arts training centre and performance company, is running a free hands-on workshop for all ages and abilities.
Riverside Theatres, Parramatta; 12pm-1.30pm, fee but online registration required.
10 minute dance parties by JOF
A night of partying condensed into 10 minutes. Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) is here to celebrate our diversity and bring people together in hilarious and unlikely situations.
Village Sideshow, Hyde Park North. Tickets: $5 (available on site only).
Highly Sprung
A family friendly event, Legs On the Wall invite you to join their multi-level, outdoor trampoline playground. The performers mix theatre, dance, parkour, tramp and street art in stories about overcoming every hurdles.
Prince Alfred Square, Parramatta; performances at 2 and 5.30pm, free jumping at 2.30pm and 6pm.