Whalebone - Part of the Upwelling Festival

Next date: Saturday, 31 October 2026 | 12:00 PM

Did you know? This beloved show that has toured all around Australia was born right here in Portland? In fact, that's where the name and the idea came from, as Jens was so inspired poking through our amazing cultural collection - including the bones of a giant whale! Pretty cool, huh? Pictured - Jens in the Portland Drill Hall tinkering away inventing contraptions during his 2020 artist residency.

 

Featuring dazzling video and computer animations, flying objects and a pinch of circus, this richly visual theatrical experience takes kids and adults alike on a roller-coaster ride. 

WHALEBONE is filled with eccentric contraptions, strange machinery and clunky inventions, including the world’s first half- human juggling machine! Nestled in the mysterious ‘Depository’, meet a lone worker with a mission. In a world where AI and machines are going rogue and making more and more decisions for us, he tries to safeguard human stories, memories and emotions Laugh out loud, gasp in awe, and let your imagination soar.

Whalebone will ignite the curiosity of young aspiring inventors, as well as everyone who loves stories and wonders. It invites audiences to ponder the role of technology in our lives, sparking conversations about what really defines us as humans. Performed by the imaginative mind of clown, tinkerer, inventor and comedian Jens Altheimer, winner of the Adelaide Fringe Award for Best Production for Children with Squaring the Wheel and nominated for the same award with Loose Ends.

Nominated for the Green Room Awards, Best Set and Costume Design.

★ ★ ★ ★ “This is the kind of show your kids will love. It is full of junk, fantastical objects, artificial intelligence, drama, thrills and puzzle solving.” – Samsara Dunston 

"Whalebone Blurs The Lines Between Science And Magic" - Nanci Nott, The Scoop

“WHALEBONE’ is a real imagination buzz from start to finish. This is a perfect show for everyone, no matter what age, to be introduced to wonder and imagination through theatre" – Janice Haynes, Forge Theatre and Arts Hub Manager

 

When

Location

Portland Arts Centre, 4A Glenelg St, Portland, 3305, View Map