WANTOK

Alyson Joyce, an Australian artist, is wearing a feathered headdress and face painted dots around her eyes and cheeks. She has one hand clasping the back of her head, and one pointing towards the sky.

Presented by Open Theatre, as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, this is theatre done differently: outdoors, interactive and accessible to all. A re-imagining of traditional “Sing-Sing” celebrations, WANTOK features bold costumes, music, movement and interactive comedy that educates and entertains. Running for 60 minutes, performances are predominantly non-verbal and compelling to audiences of all ages – from wary teenagers to seasoned culture vultures!

Presented by Open Theatre, this is theatre done differently: outdoors, interactive and accessible to all. A re-imagining of traditional “Sing-Sing” celebrations, WANTOK features riotous costumes, music, movement and interactive comedy that educates and entertains. Running for 60 minutes, performances are predominantly non-verbal and compelling to audiences of all ages – from wary teenagers to seasoned culture vultures!

With WANTOK, everyone is welcome to come laugh, dance and sing – or just watch on – as the irrepressible energy of the Antipodes comes to summertime Brum. Using traditional playground games and the history and culture of Papua New Guinea and Australia, WANTOK features world-class international performers alongside Birmingham’s Open Theatre actors.

Alyson Joyce, an Australian artist, is standing with her arms crossed in an X in front of her. She has face painted white dots around her eyes and cheeks.

Come and See the Show!

WANTOK is happening in parks & public spaces all over Birmingham. Wherever you are in the city – there’s something happening near you!

Date	Time	Location	Access Information
Sunday 14 August	12pm & 3pm	Red Shed at Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 0SL	3pm show – Touch Tour and Audio Description (please arrive at 2.30pm for the Touch Tour)
Thursday 18 August	2:30pm	Erdington High Street (outside Oikos Café), 58 High Street, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6RH
Friday 19 August	6pm	Erdington High Street (outside Oikos Café), 58 High Street, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6RH
Sunday 21 August	11am & 2pm	Red Shed at Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 0SL	2pm show – BSL Interpreted
Thursday 25 August	12.30pm & 2.30pm	Blakesley Hall, Blakesley Road, Yardley, Birmingham, B25 8RN	2:30pm show – Touch Tour and Audio Description (please arrive at 2pm for the Touch Tour)
Friday 26 August	2.30pm	Weoley Castle Ruins*, Alwold Road, Birmingham, B29 5RX
Monday 29 August	2pm	Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens*, Chester Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, B36 9BT

All the performances are FREE and you don’t need a ticket (except at Weoley Castle), so just turn up and join the fun! Performances are suitable for all ages.

*If you’re joining us at Weoley Castle, you can book your FREE ticket here!

*Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens usually charges for entry, so please quote ‘WANTOK’ when you arrive to gain FREE entry!

We’ll also be performing as part of Birmingham Weekender in the City Centre on Saturday 27th August at 1.45pm & 4.30pm!

Access Information

All the performance locations are accessible, but in most locations, we’re performing on grass.
All sites have accessible toilets
All performances are outside, so please come prepared for the weather
The performance will last 50-60minutes
It is fine to leave during the performance and then come back
You can reach all the performance locations by public transport, car or taxi
There are café facilities at Erdington High Street, Blakesley Hall, and Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. The Red Shed in Edgbaston has a smaller cafe with drinks and light snacks.

Meet the Artists!

Australian-Pacific Artist Bios

Alyson Joyce, a Papua New Guinean woman, smiles to camera. She has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a blue dress

Alyson Joyce is a Papua New Guinean-Australian recording artist, actor and presenter. As a singer and musician she has toured widely in Australia, Papua New Guinea and around the world. In 2018 she compèred the APEC CEO summit in Port Moresby. In 2019 she initiated the Conscious Collaboration project, bringing together South Pacific artists across mediums to create music and visual art which contends with social issues affecting Islander communities.

Sean Murphy is an MC and comedian behind sold-out shows at the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Fringe. A true globetrotter, Sean has performed in all 55+ Commonwealth nations and territories — from Nigeria to Niue, Barbados to Bangladesh. With local guidance, in each country he documented disappearing traditions of playground games, songs and pastimes — some of which now form an important plank of Wantok as an interactive theatre performance.

Sean Murphy, a white man, smiles to camera. He is wearing a white shirt and a brown hat

Open Theatre Emerging Artists Bios

Millie Paker, a young white woman, smiles to camera. She has long brown hair with blonde highlights, and is wearing a white t-shirt

Millie Parker is a Birmingham based performer. She is interested in Comedy and physical theatre. She studied acting at Birmingham theatre School and Theatre Arts at Derby University. Millie performed in several productions such as A Clockwork Orange, Cabaret and recently Trigger of Happiness at BE Festival 2022. At Open Theatre, Millie is part of Friday Group and One of a Kind. She performed in Stuff and Nonsense with the Ashton Brothers, where her comedy solo left the audience crying with laughter. She works as an assistant practitioner in schools and can build up meaningful connections with anyone she works with.

Jake Jarvis is an actor, director and practitioner and half of the duo Juke & Lake. Jake is an accomplished physical theatre performer in both theatre and film. He has performed in several short films including Time Watch and Nobody Nose and the Whodunnits? films. He has extensive theatre experience and performed in Black Canvas at the Birmingham Hippodrome, several immersive performances at the Birmingham Rep and was cast in the national theatre tour of The Twisted Tale of Hansel and Gretel. Jake is also a skilled drama practitioner and works several days a week in Birmingham special schools. Keen to develop his skills as a director, he recently directed the short film Behind Closed Doors. Jake has a great sense of humour, enjoys performing and steps up to any challenge.

Jake Jarvis, a young white man, gives a small smile to camera. He has short brown hair, a full beard and is wearing a black t-shirt

Lukan Smith, a young black man, gives a small smile to camera. He has short black hair, is wearing a tropical pattern shirt and a silver necklace

Lukan Smith studied Performing arts at Sandwell College. During this time he joined Open Theatre’s weekly One of a Kind group and later Friday Group. Lukan is also part of Lightpost Theatre. He began performing with Open Theatre in immersive performances The Christmas Tale of Elaine Gale at Birmingham Hippodrome and Beyond the Trees in Martineau gardens. Lukan has a great talent for comedy and screen acting. He developed this through the Whodunnits? project and started his own successful comedy TikTok channel. Recently, he performed in Trigger of Happiness as part of BE festival 2022 and played the leading role of Alan in the pilot of Ronnie and Johnny, a Birmingham based independent sitcom. Despite his great ambitions, he still takes part in several of Open Theatre’s activities and is a role model for younger artists.

Come and See the Show!

WANTOK is happening in parks & public spaces all over Birmingham. Wherever you are in the city – there’s something happening near you!

Sunday 14 August	12pm & 3pm	Red Shed at Edgbaston Reservoir
Friday 19 August	6pm	Erdington High Street (outside Oikos Café)
Sunday 21 August	11am & 2pm	Red Shed at Edgbaston Reservoir
Thursday 25 August	12.30pm & 2.30pm	Blakesley Hall
Friday 26 August	2.30pm	Weoley Castle Ruins

All the performances are FREE and you don’t need a ticket (except at Weoley Castle), so just turn up and join the fun! Performances are suitable for all ages.

Further access information and a link to book your ticket for Weoley Castle, will be updated here soon!