Timbuktu

There is a lot of talk about innovation in the theatre, but occasionally you come across an idea that is truly surprising. Timbuktu is one such project.

Instead of human actors performing on the stage, the play is performed by a dog, with related text spoken by an actor seated in the audience.The dog’s movements on stage have been rehearsed and are guided by a dog coach also seated in the audience. As the website itself states, Timbuktu’s creative team is made up of a handful of professional creatives, along with “fifteen abandoned dogs and fifteen homeless people, not only as extras but as the guest stars of the performance.”

As a theatrical device, giving voice and space to an abandoned creature that cannot normally speak or make itself heard seems to me an excellent method for referencing all in our society who struggle to make themselves heard or their experiences known. Actually seeing a dog in the flesh, live on stage, is a visceral experience that film or animation just can’t match - a wonderful use of the medium.

Unfortunately the show is not from Australia, or touring here, but Timbuktu’s website contains plenty of information on the development of the work, so if you’re intrigued, head over and check it out.