TWO puppet shows opening in Canberra on the same night, September 28? Isn’t that too much of a good thing?

Not to puppetry creator, Joy McDonald, who couldn’t be less worried, telling me that when her show, “The (Very) Sad Fish Lady”, opens at The Street it will be quite different from Jigsaw Theatre’s “Elohgulp”, which is aimed at a lower age-group.

“There’ll be more choice for the public,” she says philosophically, as she tells me that her three-year project, supported by CAPO, Craft ACT and The Street Theatre, is almost ready to go.

McDonald is the multi-talented Greek Australian ceramicist and painter who was once a professional puppeteer with the fabled Peter Scriven, of The Tintookies, and his successor, Richard Bradshaw, who has acted as dramaturg on this project.

As well, an exhibition of pictures and puppets is up and running at Craft ACT until October and there’s also a book of the story on sale.

“The (Very) Sad Fish Lady” draws on McDonald’s family traditions from the Greek island of Castellorizo. The old lady advises everyone else, but is deeply miserable. Then, hey presto, a magician appears to solve the problem, and the inevitable happy ending has much to do with emigrating to Australia.

McDonald’s puppet, are mostly marionettes manipulated by Ruth Pieloor and Scott James, both fully visible, but there are also some rod puppets and a shadow screen to one side of the wide stage at Street 2 for images of the village.

“The (Very) Sad Fish Lady,” at The Street Theatre, September 28-October 5, bookings to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au; McDonald’s exhibition at Craft ACT’s Craft and Design Centre, 1st Floor, North Building, 180 London Circuit, until October 19, Tuesday to Saturday.