Rivet 'n' Tuft 'Cultured' Clowns

Introduction to Rivet 'n' Tuft
What people are saying about Rivet 'n' Tuft
Rivet 'n' Tuft Stories

Rivet 'n' Tuft 'Cultured' Clowns

Established in 1983, Rivet 'n' Tuft have captivated all ages with their roguish characters, bouncing off each other and their audiences. They are equally comfortable presenting fully improvised performances or exploring themes through allegory-type stories using a blend of mime, circus skills, and storytelling.

Performances are tailored anywhere between 10-50 minutes.

What people are saying about Rivet 'n' Tuft

"The District Superintendant of Education has commented twice now that it's the best Speech Day she's ever been to. The final result was ideal, apt, perfect, professional, well accepted, dynamic, audience involved, memorable." (High School Principal from Balaklava, SA, after a performance for an end-of-year Speech Day)

Want to know what you're getting yourself into? For testimonials about Grant and Trevor, go here.

Rivet 'n' Tuft Stories

Over the years, Rivet 'n' Tuft have developed an enormous repertoire of semi-improvised stories that are both entertaining and inspirational. Here is a sampling.

The Whisperers

Set in an idyllic valley where there is trust and a strong, supportive community, two friends share their dreams for the bright future that they see ahead of them until . . . the Whisperers arrive! These beings toy with the thoughts of individuals in order to cloud dreams, quench desires and hope, while stirring up fear and mistrust. The valley becomes dark, people stay indoors, and fear runs rampant. That is, until the two friends decide enough is enough!

Dab and Doog

This story is about one brother's love and sacrifice for another. One takes the blame and punishment for something on behalf of the other. The story then follows the effect that this has on the one who is spared. It expresses both the heart of the Christian gospel and one of the essential components of any successful form of community life.

The Music Box

One clown acts in an overbearing way as he conducts the audience whilst denying the gifts of his friends. The music box, used by his friend, is crushed but the music goes on. This story is about valuing the gifts of others and the unconquerable power of truth and love. It can also be an allegory for the Easter story. Performance time: 15 minutes.

The Balloon Story

Using a lot of circus skills the two clowns "practise" their skills while taking breaths out of the ringmaster's balloon. Trusting the ringmaster is vital yet one clown decides he will go it alone and falls into all sorts of strife because of his inflamed ego. An allegory for the importance of trust in God; especially suitable for primary school students. Performance time: 30 minutes.

STRIFE... A surprising look at Christmas!

Rivet & Tuft intercept information relating to plans by the dastardly bad guy Strife to make everyone, starting with the youngest of students, forget what Christmas and generosity is all about. They start off on an adventure to muck Stife’s plans up with only one clue to go on... They must discover what the greatest present ever given was and who gave it so that they will never forget how to give.

The Plate Maker

The all powerful, wise and benevolent ‘Plate Maker’ makes plans for the people in a small rural community to find relief from the heavy toils of life by receiving gifts from his factory. After The factory is set up, the workers employed, trained and given the responsibility to see that their gifts, developed in the factory, are used for the benefit of those around, the Plate Masker leaves. The workers discover that there are risks involved in the giving and so they modify the intentions of the Plate Maker. In the end they become defensive, inbred and irrelevant to the community around. That is until... the Plate Maker returns!

Oops! Growing from Blunders

It doesn’t matter what age we are, we all need to know that making mistakes is an absolutely normal part of life. It is a way we learn. Oops! is a great story about very ordinary characters trying, failing, persevering and discovering success in ways other than what was first expected. Barry is having a bad day and wants to make some changes. He wants to be a success and never make any more mistakes. Ethel the old gardener sets him on a journey where he discovers, much to his surprise, that making mistakes is the way many people have found success.