We've spent quite a lot of time over the last month refining Whales, the audience-active performance we're about to do up in Tauranga for the arts festival. The process started with Claire and  Fi traveling to Nelson to take part in a marine medic training course with Project Jonah. They brought lots of great practical ideas back to the group about standings and how refloats are managed, many of which we've incorporated into the show. 

The whales have also undergone a redesign, with new foam pectoral fins and (finally!) a brand new dorsal fin. We think they look great and we're excited to see them in action. The whales' movement has developed thanks to Luke Hanna's wonderful work with us. We've also enjoyed exploring the non-realistic side of the performance - for us, the show is about stranded whales, but also about how we humans need to work together in any crisis.

We look forward to meeting our new whale troupe in Tauranga - we've had a great response from volunteers - and debuting the new Whales on Saturday at the strand (weather permitting!). 

The Whales are heading to Tauranga Arts Festival for 24 October and we're looking for volunteer performers. Email bingeculture@gmail.com if you're keen to take part. 
Being a Binge whale means swimming majestically through the streets, believing you are the largest animal ever to have lived on planet Earth, communicating with your pod through your whale song, flapping your fins against the water, rolling on your back and gurgling in the sun, and stranding and being saved by friendly humans. Being a whale is a wonderful experience. You will strand near the sea and the public will be invited to care for you, placing wet towels on your backs and signing to you, then eventually holding hands and guiding you into the sea.

Whales is HEAPS of fun with hardly any time commitment - the perfect performance experience

• Saturday morning 11am-1pm: rehearsal and costume fitting, in which you are fitted into a wetsuit and plastic fins, and trained in how to move and strand as a whale pod
• 1-2pm: ½ hour break and ½ hour pre-performance preparation 
• 2pm-3pm: street performance 

Please let us know if you…

1. a. are happy to be a beached whale and lie on the ground at the waterfront
b. can swim and are happy to jump into the sea (wearing a wetsuit)

2. Have a wetsuit you or someone else could wear. We will provide a limited number of wetsuits, so if you can source your own, please do! 

3. Which rehearsal/fitting you will attend Acting/ Performing experience is desirable but not required