WHALEBONE
Created, directed and performed by Jens Altheimer
The Twyford – Hall venue
2pm Saturday 15 June 2024
Running Time: 55 minutes followed by Q&A – no interval
There is audience participation and an entertaining Q & A after the show with the opportunity to check out all the contraptions after the show and communicate with the A.I.
Recommended for ages 6-12 & their families
Warnings: Includes fast-paced video effects and twitchy sounds
“Step into the magical world of the ‘Depository’, a mysterious agency that safeguards human memories.
As a rogue AI threatens to erase our treasured stories, a solitary worker races against time.
Can his quirky contraptions and eccentric machines shield our stories?
Jens Altheimer masterfully blends humour, imagination, and heart in WHALEBONE, a show bursting with dazzling visuals, playful inventions and a pinch of circus.
Perfect for kids and adults, this is not just a show—it’s a journey into a fantastical realm where tech meets tale, sparking wonder, curiosity and a good think about what AI means for our lives.
Celebrate the magic of stories, laugh about comic clashes between man and machine and rediscover what truly makes us human.
PLUS – Free Clown & Circus Workshop at 11am with Jens – more details here
“This is the kind of show your kids will love. It is full of junk, fantastical objects, artificial intelligence, drama, thrills and puzzle solving.”
– Samsara Dunston ★ ★ ★ ★
Nominated for the Green Room Awards, Best Set and Costume Design
Performed by the imaginative mind of clown, tinkerer, inventor and comedian Jens Altheimer, winner of the Adelaide Fringe Award for Best Production for Children with Squaring the Wheel and nominated for the same award with Loose Ends.
ABOUT
Jens is an award-winning independent artist who has been making and presenting work for audiences in Australia and Europe for 35 years. He is a deviser, director, performer, producer, mentor, inventor, and tinkerer with a strong interest in creating participatory and empowering
art experiences. Jens incorporates elements of puppetry, circus, interactive mechanical sculptures, video, and music into his highly visual theatre productions that explore human relationships through the world of animated objects.
His body of work includes family theatre, multidisciplinary community art projects, playful kinetic installations, and circus productions. Trained at Jacques Lecoq in Paris and collaborating with companies including Phillipe Genty Company, National Theatre Stuttgart (Germany), and the National Theatre Karlsruhe (Germany), Jens relocated to Australia in 2009.
Jens’ successful touring history includes collaborations with organisations such as Regional Arts Victoria, artour, and Country Arts WA. He has toured extensively throughout Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland with productions such as Squaring the
Wheel and Loose Ends.
His productions have received critical acclaim and have been presented at festivals and international tours such as Sydney Festival, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, LaMama Theatre, and festivals in New Zealand and Malta.
Videos of his community work can be found on his website at www.jensaltheimer.com/art-projects
WATCH THE TRAILER
The Merimbula show is supported by the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative