Curiosity! Choice! Wonder! What’s inside the Wonderbox?

Sensorium Theatre, Australia’s leading theatre company making work specifically designed for young audiences with disability and their friends, invites children to roll the dice and set out along a safe, exhilarating pathway into the unknown. Inside a giant puzzle-box of illusions, kooky-carnival friends with magic in their pockets lead audiences into an immersive multi-sensory wonderland of fantastical large-scale projections, strange tiny delights and infectious live music. 

Every child’s curiosity is celebrated and rewarded with wondrous surprises. The discovery is the journey. As boxes reveal boxes within boxes each child is given the opportunity to find a magical version of themselves. Inside the Wonderbox  micro-moments of whole worlds in a matchbox lead into macro universes where everyone, their face reflected in the stars of the Milky Way, is revealed as wonderful! 

After more than 12 years of connecting, engaging and captivating thousands of young audiences with disability nationally and internationally with their magical multi-sensory immersive shows, Perth-based Sensorium Theatre continues to break open barriers to truly inclusive arts experiences with their most ambitious show yet.

Wonderbox aims to be accessible to all children and every child (and the child in everyone) is invited to look inside the box and find their rightful place.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please note, this event is located at PHIVE, Parramatta Square.

For accessibility requirements and education bookings, email education_riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.

Duration: The Wonderbox performance runs for 60 minutes, but schools should allow 90 minutes for the complete experience.

FAQs

Is this for my child/student?

Wonderbox is a multi-sensory immersive theatre performance created with and for children and young people with disability, and their family and friends.

All performances of Wonderbox are relaxed performances, with audiences invited to sit or move around freely within the performance space and the adjacent chill-out zone, outside the performance space, which features comfortable seating and minimal sound. The performers use multi-modal communication including key signs, natural gesture, visual symbols and minimal verbal language. The show is highly visual with a rich aural environment and many opportunities for individual engagement and interaction through the senses.

AGE – suitable for audience members 6 years and older (maybe suitable for young adults with complex disability and/or intellectual disability).

AUDIENCE SIZE – This performance has a limited capacity of 30 participants. Tickets are available as Participant Tickets and Support/Companion Tickets. We recommend a 1:1 ratio, with one support or companion ticket per participant. Additional support persons may be accommodated based on individual needs and availability.

What to expect?

Show Themes – curiosity, choice, wonder

Audiences are invited to experience the delight of opening boxes and discovering what is inside. All sorts of sensory experiences will be offered to invite audience members curiosity, but in keeping with the themes of the show – the choice to participate or engage (or not) is always respected and celebrated.

The show has a soft opening within a lobby adjacent to the performance space – where each child is welcomed and has the opportunity to roll the dice and be sung to by his/her name.

The adjacent lobby is also a chill out zone with comfortable seating and minimal stimulation and audience members are welcome to take time out of the performance space whenever they need and to re-enter at any time.

Sensory information

Visual Elements include video projections, infinity boxes and optical illusions.

Sound Elements include live music, singing and instruments (piano, accordion and mandolin) as well as small sound making objects such as music boxes.

Tactile elements include silk, fur, rough textures, there is a foam floor covered in canvas and small stools for sitting on.

Smells that are contained within small boxes and do not permeate the space as a whole.

Kinesthetic Elements – audience members can move freely at all times or sit as desired. At certain times, audience members are invited to participate in dancing and moving, including a game where they can crawl through open boxes. There is no requirement to participate.

Potential Negative triggers
There are no special effects such as smoke machine, bubbles or strobe.
There are no balloons.
There is no total blackout – soft lighting is used throughout.

WONDERBOX WORKSHOPS

Since 2010, Sensorium Theatre has created multi-sensory theatre shows and Storytelling programs to thousands of children and young people aged 0 to 18 with disability.

Our professional learning opportunities are highly sought after, and cater to a wide range of professionals including venue staff, artists, educators, teachers, librarians, therapists, and carers. These sessions are invaluable for anyone working with or caring for individuals with disability, but the benefits extend universally across various contexts and communities such as childcare, playgroups, and community service providers. We encourage participation from both frontline service providers and those working behind the scenes in formal and informal education or therapy settings.

Workshops are for teachers, teaching artists and facilitators, disability support workers working with young people and adults with complex and multi-modal communication support needs in a creative or learning setting; Module 1 is valuable for front facing venue staff, too.​ 

Please note: The Wonderbox Workshop Modules will be at Riverside Theatres.

WORKSHOP MODULE 1

Senses Awakening (Teachers and Artists)

Tuesday 23 September at 10am (20pax)
Duration: 2.5 hours

This foundational workshop is essential for anyone engaging with children, particularly those with disability. Through experiential learning and multi-sensory techniques, participants gain direct insights into the sensory experiences and needs of children. By fostering a deeper understanding of sensory preferences, attendees develop skills in creating diverse sensory environments that support learning and growth.

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WORKSHOP MODULE 2

Developing Your Sensory Toolkit (Teachers and Artists)

Tuesday 23 September 1pm (20pax)
Duration: 2 hours

Building upon the principles introduced in Senses Awakening, this module focuses on enhancing confidence and proficiency in multi-sensory storytelling. Participants delve into Sensorium Theatre’s ethos and methodology, honing their abilities in designing and implementing engaging sensory experiences. This session is beneficial for a broad spectrum of professionals, including therapists, educators, and artists, seeking to enrich their practice in supporting learning and development. Packed with innovative ideas for incorporating multi-sensory elements into storytelling, this resource also includes extension activities and curriculum links, providing a rich toolkit for professionals in diverse educational settings.

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Teacher at Glenallen School, Art Centre Melbourne 2025

"The students were immersed in the performance and really made to feel so special. It was so wonderful to have something just for them! We all left feeling a great sense of joy."

Parent of audience member, Out of the Box Festival 2025

"Wonderbox opened up a part of the world that my son is so often excluded from and gave our family an experience we will never forget."

Parent of audience member, DreamBig Festival 2025

"...the pure JOY on her face was worth it!"

EDUCATION BOOKINGS & RESOURCES

EDUCATION TICKETS & PRICING

$24 (Standard Price)

This performance has a limited capacity of 30 participants. We recommend a 1:1 ratio, with one support or companion ticket per participant. Additional support persons may be accommodated based on individual needs and availability.

SUITABLE FOR 6+

Suitable for children with a broad range of access needs aged 6 years+, including those with multiple and complex needs and those on the autism spectrum.

Audience Prepatory Materials
Wonderbox includes comprehensive online preparatory materials, offering exclusive insights into the show’s story, characters, and techniques, enhancing the audience’s experience by familiarising them beforehand for a more enjoyable show.

Curriculum Links and Resources
View Risk Assessment.
Download the Visual/Social Story for Wonderbox.

To reserve your booking, please email education_riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.

You’ll receive a booking invoice with a payment due date 4 weeks out from the show date. Please complete payment by the due date to ensure your booking is confirmed.

For more details about How to Book, Excursion & Accessibility For Education.

ACCESSIBILITY

In English

Wheelchair accessible

Companion Card accepted

Assistive Hearing system available (FM)

Find out more about accessibility at PHIVE.

Additional Ticketing Information

$7.95 Transaction Fee applies.

The authorised ticket agency for this event is Riverside Theatres.

Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency, you risk that these tickets are fake, void, or have previously been cancelled. Resale restriction applies.

Prices are correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 0-18 months at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap free of charge. A valid ticket is required for all children over 18 months.

For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions.

Commissioned by the 2023 Perth Festival and produced by Performing Lines WA, Wonderbox has been supported by Lotterywest and the Cassandra Ganter Foundation. The 2024/25 National Tour has been made possible by the Australian Government’s Playing Australia program, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body. Sensorium Theatre acknowledges ongoing support from DLGSC and Creative Australia. 

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