23–26 Sep
DEAD AS A DODO
WAKKA WAKKA (NOR | USA)
An epic battle between life and death.
Theatre
Deep within the underworld, two skeleton friends, a Dodo and a boy, tirelessly dig for fresh bones. Their ancient skeletal forms are deteriorating and, without them, they will disappear completely. One day, something peculiar happens: the Dodo miraculously sprouts feathers! A wave of transformation begins, shattering the established order of the dead. Infused with puppetry, humour, and stunning visual effects, Dead as a Dodo is a mesmerizing musical odyssey about survival, transformation, and the power of true friendship.
DURATION 1hr 20min (no interval)
Accessibility Tactile Tour 5:30pm, Sat 26 Sep Auslan Interpreted & Audio Described Performance 6:30pm, Sat 26 Sep
CONTENT WARNING
This production contains use of haze and smoke machines, as well as strobe and sound pressure effects. Suitable for ages 5+.
Director’s Note
The world of this show draws inspiration from Tales from the Crypt, Dante’s Inferno, and the dark whimsy of the classic Silly Symphonies cartoons. As a species, our relationship with death has continually evolved, from early humanity to the present day. Within our own lifetimes, the rise of AI, gene editing, and biotechnology has transformed our understanding of what is possible. Science is now exploring the resurrection of extinct species, blurring the boundary between life
and death in ways that once belonged solely to myth and fiction. Dead as a Dodo engages with this shifting reality and the future it promises. Through a playful, cartoonish lens, it explores our deepest fears and desires — our need for love, our instinct to survive, and our enduring pursuit of immortality.
GWEN WARNOCK WRITER/DIRECTOR
The team Writers
Gwendolyn Warnock & Kirjan Waage with the ensemble
Directors
Gwendolyn Warnock & Kirjan Waage
Original Music & Sound Design
Thor Gunnar Thorvaldsson
Puppet Design & Construction
Kirjan Waage
Projection Design
Erato Tzavara
Lighting Design
Daphne Agosin
Touring Lighting Design
Hyun Kim
Associate Lighting Design
Gillian Hanemayer
Set Design, Costume Design
Gwendolyn Warnock & Kirjan Waage
Producers
Gwendolyn Warnock, Thomas Gustafson & Kirjan Waage
Ensemble
Alexandra Bråss, Hanna Magrete Muir, Sigurd Rosenberg, Peter Russo, Anna Soland, Kirjan Waage, Olivia Zerphy, Thea Lekang
Props and Additional Puppet Construction
Lei-Lei Bavoil, Alexandra Bråss, Frida Vige Helle, Dorothy James, Andy Manjuck, Hanna Magrete Muir, Jack Markussen, Sigurd Rosenberg, Peter Russo, Marie Skogvang-Stork, Anna Soland, Gwendolyn Warnock
Cover Image Credit
Richard Termine
Other Image Credits
David Zadig, Erato Tzavara
About Wakka Wakka Wakka Wakka is an award-winning, critically acclaimed theater company led by co-artistic directors Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock. Since its founding in 2001, the company has created 13 visually arresting productions that blend puppetry, masks, projection, and original music. The company is based in Oslo, Norway and NYC. @wakkawakkaprods wakkawakka.org
Further Listening Enjoy the music from the show on Spotify
Acknowledgements
Dead as a Dodo was created in residency at Nordland Visual Theater, The Chicago Puppet Theater Festival and Nord University. Dead as a Dodo has received support from: Arts Council Norway, The Jim Henson Foundation, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FFUK, and Sea-Cargo AS. Special Thanks to the Nord University Theatre Class of 2023. Presented by Brisbane Festival in association with Brisbane Powerhouse. This project is supported through the Giving Program by Philip Bacon AO.
brisbanefestival.com.au