Want the chance to perform in a maritime rock opera?
The Barbarian Ship, an immersive rock opera directed by Julien Poulson (The Cambodian Space Project), will be premiering at the 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival, 8-10 February. They are seeking a large and diverse cast of narrators, singers, roving performers, and musicians to perform.
Show Overview:
- The Barbarian Ship is a rollicking rock opera filled with pirate anthems, intense drama, and heart-pounding action.
- The show is designed as an immersive theatre experience, engaging the audience with a Carnivale atmosphere that blurs the line between performer and spectator.
- Premiering as part of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, this production has the potential to tour waterfront sites around Australia and the world.
Who They’re Looking For:
- Narrators: Dynamic voices to guide the audience through this epic tale.
- Singers: Vocalists with powerful presence, capable of handling rock ballads and shanties alike.
- Pirate Choir: seeking amateur/intermediate voices to form our ‘pirate choir’.
- Roving Performers: Actors with strong improvisational skills who can engage with the audience and move fluidly through the performance space (think Sleep No More).
- Musicians: Instrumentalists with a passion for rock, folk, and sea shanties, particularly those skilled with traditional maritime instruments (think The Pogues).
Audition Information:
- In person Auditions will be held in Melbourne (October) and Hobart (January)
- Online: please send a piece that showcases your strengths in line with the role you're auditioning for.
- Performers of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply.
For more information and/or to register your EOI, email: thecambodianspaceproject@gmail.com
More About the Show: The Barbarian Ship is an immersive rock opera that will transport audiences back to the high seas of the 19th century. Based on the true and thrilling tale of the Mutiny on the Brig Cyprus, this ground-breaking production tells the improbable story of Tasmanian convicts who hijacked a ship and, under the charge of self-appointed Captain William Swallow, escaped across the Pacific. Their daring journey takes them to the shores of Shogunate Japan, where they encounter hostile Samurai before making their way back to England, only to face the hangman’s noose or re-transportation.