Jens Altheimer



WHALEBONE




Whalebone in a Nutshell



What is the story?


Take me there

Why Whalebone


That's why people should come and watch Whalebone

Take me there

What People Say



Some presenters, family or other art peers had some saying about Whalebone


Take me there

The Who is Who in Whalebone



Bit of an entertaining way to learn more about Whalebone


Take me there

WATCH THE TRAILER


Whalebone in a nutshell

Can we save our stories when the robots arrive?



Out of line and out of time: the ‘Depository' is a mysterious bureau that has seen better days.


It's only remaining operator continues with an important task. With the help of some strange machinery, he extracts the stories that live in old, discarded objects and safeguards them in the magical place where all stories are kept. A difficult task in a time when people throw out everything so quickly and objects don't have time to gather stories.


This strange and vulnerable world starts to fall apart when the place is under attack by a rogue AI... and only two unlikely allies can save the ‘Depository’ and its stories.


Storytelling versus data-management, human versus machine: a gripping and humorous clash between the analog and the digital, told through dazzling video and computer animations, quirky contraptions, robotics, clunky inventions and flying objects.

Physical reality turns virtual and back in this family show about what makes us humans humans, the stories we tell and artificial intelligence knocking at the door.





WHY WHALEBONE

We are living in an exciting and also terrifying moment. Daily, we read about new feats of artificial intelligence and we witness (in a mix of fascination and shivers of terror) their breath-taking advancements in many different fields.

WHALEBONE takes a look at some of the possible implications, in a highly visual family show full of surprises and stage wonders. Stories versus data, the magic of memories, paths we humans might take.These are big and challenging themes for an all-ages show.

WHALEBONE tackles them through a compelling theatre adventure where quirky inventions and contraptions, gorgeous interactive video animations, a pinch of circus and magically flying objects are all part of the story telling.

An old telephone that can deliver refreshing showers in the desert, a half human juggling machine, holograms: see real world things turning into virtual things and virtual things back into real things. And get involved in an audience game, where everyone is encouraged to help to resolve a puzzle.

Driven by an unexpected alliance between two improbable buddies who try to save our stories, the show is gripping, touching and sometimes silly. Telling a tale full of magic and action, WHALEBONE opens the door to a wondrous world where the future of humanity is under scrutiny





"We presented ‘WHALEBONE’ at the Frankston Arts Centre. What has always struck me about Jens’ work is that (aside from his skill in visual trickery and astounding contraptions) is the integrity of storytelling. ‘WHALEBONE’ follows an important narrative around storytelling and the importance of history. This is done cleverly and with care for the audience. We loved presented and sharing the show with our audience. It’s an absolute treat."
Heidi Irvine – Head of Programming,
Frankston Arts Centre.“

WHALEBONE’ is a real imagination buzz from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the creative techniques used to make it. This is a perfect show for everyone, no matter what age, to be introduced to wonder and imagination through theatre. Well done Jens and all of the creative team."
Janice Haynes, Forge Theatre and Arts Hub Manager


"WHALEBONE is smart, funny and inventive theatre. The show is a wonder; fabulous entertainment for young people from a broad range of ages, with much to enjoy for their adults. Jens has found a sweet spot in exploring a complex idea whilst providing a thoroughly enjoyable hour in his company. It's terrific fun with many ideas to take home."
Graham Coffey, Independent Arts Administrator


"WHALEBONE is a clever, witty , endearing work about the recollection and passing on of precious memories and stories to future generations.A great, fun show for young people to consider the ethics and boundaries around co- existence with artificial intelligence. "
Jodee Mundy, Fuse Festival, City of Darebin


"I wish your inventions could be made real and we could collect and save memories that we touch, live with, connect to and share them. I just want to say thank you for being you, so creative and generous and bringing to life an idea that I wish looked like and worked like you showed today in WHALEBONE. "
Mandy Ellerton, Audience member and Grandmother


“In Whalebone Jens Altheimer has created something very special. Whalebone is visually delightful; the recycled contraptions, inventions, cleverly used technology and magic combined with juggling and clowning are totally mesmerising and engaging. Yet through all of this wizardry and physical theatre there is a show with real heart that shares an important message without any didacticism. This is undeniably a show for all ages, with as much to connect adults and children. It is a show to make you smile and laugh, to be surprised and delighted. Most of all it is a show to make you empathise with the human dilemma and with our responsibility to the world around us and all that is animate and inanimate within it.”

Stephen Champion, Manager, Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.







The Who-is-Who in WHALEBONE (instead of a summary)


- the seasoned and slightly disheartened worker of the Depository, a facility that extracts stories and memories from discarded objects

- a redundant, first generation A.I., fighting not to get disconnected and by default a bit of a smart arse

- the mother of stories, mythical and mystical entity where all stories are safeguarded

- a malicious and fierce looking computer virus, sent to erase all those guarded stories

- the story-catcher, a smoke-ring-shooting invention that can collect stories if the world needs them

- a home telephone that conveniently doubles as a portable shower

- an empathetic member of the audience who helps the above mentioned seasoned worker

- all the audience, trying to find a secret password

- the extraction machine, a sophisticated and handsome contraption that reluctantly performs the above mentioned story

- object separation- without appearance but in the virtual space: a last-generation A.I.

- a bunch of delicate stories, literally floating between the different worlds






Jens ALTHEIMER