We are officially one week away from opening Flower. Puppy. Show. at the Brisbane Powerhouse, and it's all systems go! My days (and most nights) have been spent sewing costumes, adding the tiniest hand-finished details, transforming the set, and rehearsing every moment of the performance. It's been a joyful whirlwind, and if I'm honest, we're feeling equal parts excited and nervous. We've poured so much care into creating a dreamy, handmade world, and we can't wait to finally open the doors next week at the Brisbane Powerhouse!

Alongside all the making, I've been filling pages of my sketchbooks with drawings, notes, and collages as I work through ideas for new costumes and visual moments. I often begin by cutting and rearranging images before translating them into wearable pieces, and it's one of my favourite parts of the creative process. Putting together a show like this has also been an incredible learning experience. As well as creating many of the artworks and costumes, I've found myself stepping into the role of a producer - communicating technical requirements with the theatre, coordinating everyone's schedules, designing and printing the program, and keeping countless moving parts on track! It has been demanding, exhilarating, and deeply rewarding. More than ever, I've felt like a truly multidisciplinary artist, embracing every part of bringing this rich handmade world to life.

One of my favourite new costumes to create has been our Dalmatian Bride. After the last season of Flower. Puppy. Show., the original look found a new home, which gave me the perfect excuse to dream up something entirely new.

I also realised our world of puppies was missing a proper nod to a spotty dog! As the song I’m singing is quite a lament, it inspired me to imagine a forlorn hound... perhaps one left at the alter (lol). I also took Inspiration from the iconic shimmery dress from Labyrinth, and made it my own by spending hours hand-embellishing hundreds of black dots over the gown. I think they’ll shimmer beautifully on stage and, if I'm honest, they also make me think of Oreos - which only makes me love the dress even more…who doesn’t want a cookie dress?!

Another new look has been inspired by my beloved pooch Daisy, who passed away a few years ago. I wanted to create a costume that captured the feeling of being completely embraced by daisies - as though the flowers had grown all around me. Along the way, I also experimented with a few different hat styles. For a while I was torn between one that completely covered the face and another that felt more like a swarm of flowers gathering around it. As much as I loved both ideas, I think the full-face version is the winner. It's a little stranger, a little dreamier, and feels like the perfect tribute to Daisy.

With opening night now just around the corner, it really feels as though all the sketches, late nights, rehearsals, and handmade details are coming together into one magical world…

Flower. Puppy. Show. runs from 6–8 August at the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of my Artist Residency, and we are so excited to finally share the finished work with you. We can't wait to throw open the doors, welcome audiences into our peculiar little universe, and see these costumes, songs, and stories come to life on stage. We hope you'll join us.

Can’t wait to share more soon!
Rach x