The Nargun and the Stars
Barking Gecko Theatre Company in association with Perth International Arts Festival and Sydney Festival present The Nargun and the Stars by Erth Visual & Physical, produced by Performing Lines
For families and kids 8 + years
The
magical world of Patricia Wrightson’s much-loved novel comes to life on
stage in a stunning visual feast, combining ERTH’s large-scale puppets,
live actors and digital animation.
The
story follows Simon, a boy orphaned and relocated to his distant
cousins’ bush farm, a lonely place that hides ancient secrets. He soon
meets the mythical indigenous creatures inhabiting the landscape – the
trickster Potkoorok, the mischievous Turongs and the cave-dwelling
Nyols.
This
peaceful haven is disrupted by the arrival of the Nargun. Disturbed by
development in the valley, this terrifying stone creature threatens the
destruction of the farm and its inhabitants, and Simon finds himself in
a struggle with a power out of the depths of time.
Human
and creature face off, a storm rages through the theatre, and a
bulldozer disappears before your eyes, but always grounding the
spectacle are Wrightson’s warmth, humour and richly drawn characters.
This
story of adventure and discovery for young people also delivers a vital
message of respect for Indigenous culture, the land and its folklore.
The adaptation is informed by ERTH’s on-going consultation with the original story owners, the
Gunai/Kurnai, Monaro and Boon Wurrung communities of East Gippsland.
Ticket Prices:
Child (under 14) $20
A Reserve $45
A Reserve Friends of the Festival $40
B Reserve $35
B Reserve Concession $30
C Reserve $30
Performances Times:
7pm Preview on 18 Feb
7pm on 19-21 Feb and 24-28 Feb
11am & 1:30pm on Sat 21 & 28 Feb, Sun 1 Mar
After the show:
Meet the creatures and learn a little more of their history: Fri 20, Tue 24, Wed 25, Thur 26 & Fri 27 Feb
The Nargun and the Stars - Photo Gallery
The Nargun and the Stars - Cast & Crew
Patricia Wrightson
- Author
Patricia Wrightson has written more than fifteen books for children and a novel for adults, and has also edited several collections of stories for children. In her children's fiction, she uses aboriginal folk-spirits to enrich her tales, which she categorizes ascontem...
Verity Laughton
- Writer
Verity writes for most forms of theatre. Her work includes main-stage adult drama, a promenade community event, a musical, adaptations, plays for child and family audiences, as well as work for dance, for puppets, for theatre of image and a ‘neutralscript’. Her play...
Scott Wright
- Co-Director
Scottis the Artistic Director and co-founder of Erth Visual and Physical Inc, and trained as a dancer and choreographer in Victoria for 3 years prior. He is a multi-skilled artist incorporating puppetry (one of his greatest loves), movement, acting, aerial, stilts and pyr...
Wesley Enoch
- Co-Director
Wesley Enoch is the eldest son of Doug and Lyn Enoch, who hail from Stradbroke Island in Queensland. He is Nuccual Nuugi.
Wesley has written and directed extensively for the stage, working with most of Australia’s state theatre companies and major festivals. He ha...
Steve Howarth
- Set Designer
As co-founder and full time member of Erth, Steve designs or coordinates the design elements for most of the company’s productions. Outside of Erth he has also designed and performed with the Australian / Indonesian collaboration, Theft of Sita, directed by Nigel Ja...
Bryony Anderson
- Puppet Designer
Bryony is a designer, inventor, maker, and exhibiting artist who has been working with puppetry and circus companies in and out of Australia since 1997. Puppetry work includes projects with Erth, Theatre of Image, Puppetvision, Polyglot, MyDarling Patricia, Born in a Taxi, and ...
Colin Sneesby
- Associate Puppetry Director
Since graduating in acting at the Victorian Collage of the Arts, Colin has worked as an actor, dancer and puppeteer with companies such as Polyglot Puppet Theatre, Snuff Puppets, Dance Exchange, MRPG, erth, Terrapin Puppet Theatre and with choreographers Russell Dumas, Jude Wal...
Phil Downing
- Composer
Phil has been performing and recording music for 20 years. Phil designs and has created a number of unique musical instruments. Since 1995 live performances with these instruments have been staged at numerous venues throughout Sydney using the name Philophonic Orchestra. ...
Samuel James
- Audiovisual Artist
Sam James works as a projection designer for contemporary performance companies and independent dancers, mainly in association with the Performance Space. Most of his focus is in collaborating with independent dancers, making projections for live works, installations and ...
Bernie Tan
- Lighting Designer
Bernie has worked extensively across a variety of genres. These include Dance, Drama, Opera and Musicals and Theatrical Productions. He has worked with Theatre of Image; Erth; La Boite Theatre Company, NORPA, Griffin Theatre Company, Pinch Gut Opera, Sydney Conservatorium of Mu...
Bill Young
- Performer
Bill Young is one of Australia’s busiest character actors with over 20 feature films under his belt, a wealth of television experience, an impressive array of theatre credits, and is one of Australia’s premier voice over artists. Recent feature film work has include...
Annie Byron
- Performer
Annie has been an actress for over 30 years and her work has taken her all over Australia and overseas. She has most recently appeared in Yibiyung at Belvoir St Theatre & Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne (dir: Wesley Enoch). Prior to that, Annie performed in The A...
Tom Green
- Performer
Tom began working professionally as an actor in 2007. He played the lead role of Zac in the telemovie Emerald Falls directed by Peter Andrikidis and made his stage debut as Phillip in Lockie Leonard for Merrigong Theatre Co. In 2008, Tom brought to life the lead char...
Sharon Kerr
- Puppeteer
A trained school teacher majoring in drama, Sharon left teaching to perform with Barnstorm Theatre and Graffiti Dance Theatre, before co-founding Erth. commitments towards ERTH became a passionate ambition. Sharon has experience in improvisational movement, training Al Wun...
Jacob Boehme
- Puppeteer
Jacob is a Melbourne-born artist of Narangga (Yorke Peninsula, SA) and Kaurna (Adelaide,SA) heritage. Jacob trained in dance at NAISDA, Australia’s leading institute for Indigenous Performing Arts, and is also a choreographer and puppeteer. For the past 10 years has...
Jo Clancy
- Puppeteer
Contemporary Indigenous Dancer/Choreographer Jo Clancy is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people ofWestern NSW but was raised and still lives on Gundungurra and Darug country in the Blue Mountains. Jo commenced her dance training at NAISDA Dance College in 1990 and then went on t...
Josh Bond
- Puppeteer
Joshua Bond hails from Tasmania and has worked professionally in the performing arts for twelve years, primarily in circus butalso in dance theatre, physical theatre and more recently puppet theatre. He graduated from NICA and has worked with companies around Australia and...
