Written by Ian Sinclair
Produced by The Kabuki Drop
Commissioned by PICA and co-presented with Perth Festival

WORLD PREMIERE
Submerge yourself in a poetic reimagining of the classic Australian seaside drama for our cataclysmic times.
Nadine returns to her beachside home, and the family she abandoned, to reconnect with her daughter. Now oceans apart, she must navigate her ex-husband’s anger at her departure and learn to accept and support her now son Caleb, with his desire to begin medically affirming his gender.
A deeply personal and poetic story, Whale Fall is a slow-burning family drama about second chances and unconditional love, charting transition across generations, family dynamics, the human body and our ecological future.
Central to the work is the story of a dying whale as it slowly descends to the sea floor and forms a new biodiverse ecosystem known as a ‘whale fall’.
Inspired by environmental writer Rebecca Giggs’ essay of the same name, Whale Fall features rich visual language, intimate performances and immersive design to conjure the familiarity of the Australian coast. Created by an exceptional team of WA theatre makers, this new work brings together people from different backgrounds that identify with and support the trans, gender diverse and queer communities.
 
ABOUT THE COMPANY
The Kabuki Drop is an emergent, multiplatform arts company creating work within a variety of spaces and across art forms. They are storytellers who reinterpret theatre forms and present ideas and aesthetics for adventurous audiences. They play with and within their environments, championing artists who create immersive experiences which provoke thought, challenge norms and encourage conversation. Formed by Melissa Cantwell in 2017, the company has presented The Average Joe (Fringeworld, 2017); Blink (Commissioned by The City of Perth Winter Arts Festival, 2017); Slap and Tickle (Fringeworld, 2018; Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2019) and The Elders Project (Fremantle Festival 2019).