OCTOPOLIS
A play with two actors (And one octopus)
Meet George: professor, octopus expert and…professional hermit? Her most intimate relationship these days is with the clever Frances, an octopus she obsessively studies. Never leaving her cloistered university accommodation, George is content with sunrise yoga and not checking her inbox.
Enter Harry: an anthropologist with big theories and even bigger ambitions. He’s French and a Doctor, so he’s a pretty big deal. His latest idea? A groundbreaking new theory about Frances that could change George’s world forever…
Sparks fly, tanks bubble, and somewhere between the academic rivalry and tangled tentacles, the two of them might just uncover something new about themselves, Frances, and human-kind itself.
"A charged and chewy play about the ways we make meaning in pursuit of certainty and connection."
- Backstreet Brisbane
"A magnetic, nuanced performance"
- Blue Curtains Brisbane
"An exciting and thought-provoking exploration of relationships, religion, and the very essence of being"
- The Scoop
"Sparrow’s incredibly nuanced performance is amongst the best I’ve seen on stage at PIP Theatre"
- Blue Curtains Brisbane
"Under Bronwyn Nayler’s considered direction, “Octopolis” is a smart and somewhat curious journey"
- Blue Curtains Brisbane
"A beautifully intellectual and emotionally stirring production. With articulate performances, sleek design, and a script that challenged both cast and audience"
- Stage Buzz Brisbane
CREATIVES
Playwright Marek Horn
Director & Designer Bronwyn Nayler
Movement Coach & Intimacy Director Sherri Smith
Choreographer Sherri Smith
Lighting & Vision Designer Teddy Waddingham
Sound Design Lachlan Driscoll
Stage Manager Libby Harrison
Dramaturg Lachlan Driscoll
CAST
Caroline Sparrow
Dudley Powell
WINNER Best Dramatic Play, Independent Production - The Stage Buzzie Awards 2025
RUNNER UP Best Lead Performer, Caroline Sparrow, Independent Production - The Stage Buzzie Awards 2025
2025 Season. May 14 - 24
PIP Theatre, Milton
Notes
From Director Bronwyn Nayler: Curiouser and curiouser... like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, Marek Horn takes us to a very curious, surprising and weird place. Directing this ripper play has been a real challenge and adventure as we, cast and creatives, explored some bold ideas, met some engaging characters (3 souls and 12 legs in all) and found many truths about ourselves, the animal kingdom and...God? It is a play that dares to ask big questions where answers are sometimes evasive or indeed unavailable - how we navigate religion and science and justify the existence of God, animal sentience, love and what that means, and the mystery
and allure of octopuses!
It is a play that challenges creatives and audiences alike. The script of Octopolis is void of stage directions, set details, props, time and place, but gives us all we need to know in dialogue. Horn’s generous, rich and intellectual language has allowed for our own journey of discovery, curiosity and play. The two humans, George and Harry, each share the story from their perspectives, allowing for a very intimate experience as they break the fourth wall to engage with you, the audience. My team has met these challenges head on in a considered and joyful way. I mean, how do you put an octopus on stage?
It’s also a play that keeps giving. Upon each read of the script, it became more revelatory and creatively inspiring. It resonates after the fact with big intellect and big heart. We hope you find the same joy and beauty in this story as we have. So like Alice, buckle up, and keep an eye out for the razor clams and cod cheeks, some impossible ideas, two very real humans, and of course Frances, our beloved octopus.