Mr. Kookaburra and Kukkaroo

Does Kookaburra litter, will Kukkaroo drown?

Mr. Kookaburra is a good-natured silly, singing goof, messy, laughing, with tousled hair, a winged fool. And wherever Mr. Kookaburra goes, he leaves a mark: an untidy and filthy area. But snappy Kukkaroo is another kind. She gets irritated if the world is not the way it should be, places in order and the hat tilted to the right angle. And if there is something she dislikes, it’s trash.

In the Australian aboriginals’ mythology, the kookaburra bird is the morning awakener, whose loud laughter is impossible to ignore. Also in this story, he awakens both himself and the audience. Through humorous characters, the play approaches big themes: littering, friendship, diversity and tolerance.

This Auraco’s visual, non-verbal performance combines dance, mime and clownery. It premiered at Kanneltalo, Helsinki on 19 September 2015.

Direction: Päivi Aura
Music: Jouni Bäckström, Sami Zimmermann
Mr. Kookaburra: Jouni Bäckström
Kukkaroo: Kati Lehtola
Willy from the Woods: Sami Zimmermann
Lighting: Keijo Vainio
Costumes: Piritta Kämi-Conway
Picture: Keanne van de Kreeke

Duration: 40 min
Age recommendation: over 4 years old
Production: Dance Theatre Auraco and City of Helsinki Cultural Office

Photos: Miia Kota