The bums are missing! Tim Winton’s classic novel debuts at The Q

Posted on 12 August, 2026

What would you do if your bum was stolen during the night?

If that reminds you of a book you read when you were younger, chances are you’re thinking of Tim Winton’s whimsical story The Bugalugs Bum Thief.

If this doesn’t ring familiar, then you’re in for a treat.

For just two nights, Winton’s story will be at The Q theatre in Queanbeyan, where the audience is invited to follow the misadventures of Skeeta Anderson, Mick Misery and Billy Marbles as they try to unravel the mystery of the Bugalugs bum thief.

Directed by Jessica Arthurs, the play is full of laughter and a masterful use of words.

“There’s some wonderful wordplay and imagery, but I think it really feeds the imagination – even just the idea of friendship and the fact that kids can come together to solve something,” Jessica says.

“I think there’s something really nice in the message of it, where even though you think you may not be the one to lead or make a difference because you’re just a kid, this play shows that if you’ve got your mates, the will and intention, you can do it.”

While the shows here will mark the Canberra debut, Bugalugs first premiered a few years ago in Parramatta.

It means that Jessica has had a few moments of déjà vu as she steps back into the role of director, alongside the rest of the creative team.

The Canberra production sees three new actors and two musicians coming on board, which Jessica says has been a great chance to get right into the action.

“The three initial actors we had were super imaginative and did really great work in laying the foundation for the piece, and then the three new actors have come in and gone ‘Great, cool I get it’ and they’ve now found their own ways to elevate the characters,” Jessica shares.

The show is also high intensity, with several musical numbers throughout the performance, thanks to some on-stage musicians.

“We’ve got two drummers who sub in throughout the show: Alysa and Natalie. They come on as part of the three friends so they feel like part of the town … it just adds this incredible live element of a beat or some comedy foley moments,” Jessica explains.

Alysa Portelli is one of the new faces in the Canberra debut, and says she’s loved the chance to play around with sound.

“There is a mixture of songs, and nothing is terribly long – there’s no four-minute or five-minute songs – so that keeps the attention span of the little ones,” Alysa says.

“Mixed in with that, there’s a lot of Foley, things like a slide whistle to simulate someone’s pants falling down … which is a lot of fun. There’s a lot of interactions so I’m constantly watching and participating in the different sound effects.”

Alysa’s talents are heard thanks to the on-stage electronic drum kit, which allows her to create more than just traditional drum sounds.

“That way we can also put all of the sound effects into the drum kit itself, but then there’s acoustic instruments like the slide whistle, chimes, bells, which all help with the imagination of what’s going on,” Alysa says.

Alysa’s work on stage is another educational lesson for the audience – this time on music.

“Glenn Moorhouse, the musical director and the composer, did such a fantastic job on making the songs not just an easy beat; there’s some really creative and rhythmic stuff in there that exposes the kids to these different rhythms,” Alysa explains.

“I was actually surprised when I saw the music. I went ‘Oh, this is actually pretty complicated stuff,’ but Moorhouse does such a great job at making it easy to listen to so it’s not confusing to follow along melodically.”

Whether you’ve read the books or not, both Jessica and Alysa agree that the play is sure to have you laughing along.

“It’s a real joy; the characters are really distinct so by the end of it you feel like you’ve really made three new friends and you’re part of their gang,” Jessica laughs.

“I also think there’s something really unique about the live drummer on stage and how it hits you differently in the audience, and the songs are cool.”

With some clever jokes, hilarious moments of foley, and an unfolding mystery, it’s sure to be a fun trip out.

“It’s a great way to get an introduction to theatre, music and performances, while also supporting the arts,” Alysa says.

“There’s no reason not to!”

Photography: Phil Erbacher.