The Whale’s Tale

First slated to appear at the Awesome Festival in 2020, The Whale’s Tale, presented by Victorian company Born in a Taxi, finally has made it to WA. Presented in the WA Museum, Boola Bardip’s Hackett Hall (the hall that many moons ago was the WA library), the performance takes place, hauntingly and meaningfully under the museum’s well-loved Blue Whale skeleton.

Almost as large as the skeleton above, The Whale’s Tale's central character, a whale called Manilayo, is a 9-metre whale puppet (superbly operated by Jay Clarke) which can literally swallow audience members whole. Manilayo, who is very ill, is cared for by an interesting character called The Navigator (a wonderfully dynamic Penny Baron), who is part soulmate, part the whale’s conscience and is the audience’s guide during this 45-minute journey.

The Navigator is joined by a very zany Walrus Doctor, a fantastically costumed Nick Papas who knows how to work an audience, and we meet a villainous shark, played by a very suave Carolynn Hanna (who is only a little bit frightening).

Lots of very physical theatre, and expertly timed slapstick (composer Michael Havir’s sound design and perfectly timed operation adds to its wacky feel), there is also lots of audience interaction. At the performance I attended a young lad called Connor was eager to share his understanding of whales and conservation, while George, Isla and a dad called Eddie were despatched as krill to feed the ailing whale (luckily returned safely to their families). Audience member Celeste ultimately helped the Navigator and Dr Walrus to save the day.

Played with the audience in the light, with the scary bits not being too scary, this well-paced highly interactive show kept tiny tots to preteens highly engaged throughout, with plenty to give the adults a chuckle too. Most importantly it carries a very important message about the dangers of plastics in our oceans. 

Funny, entertaining, and educational, The Whale’s Tale was worth the wait. A little cracker of a show.

Kimberley Shaw

Image: DWV Photography