Professor Sam Bowker wants audience feedback for his new shadow puppet show. Photo: Chris Roe.
Wagga Wagga’s shadow theatre enthusiasts are invited to a special preview of an experimental shadow puppet show before it heads to Sydney.
Goha and The Flea will feature in a free 30-minute concert to be performed at The Curious Rabbit on Saturday (12 April).
Produced by Charles Sturt University Associate Professor Sam Bowker, Goha and The Flea are two distinct stories.
“Goha is a well-known Arabic folk hero,” Professor Bowker said. ”His stories are similar to Aesop’s Fables, where things happen and wisdom is evident in his actions.
“For the Goha story, we’ve adapted an old tale called Goha and the Donkey into a new song in Arabic and English, with the help of Imad Mansour and Mazen Mira. This was created in Wagga.
“The second story, The Flea [written by Professor Bowker and Peter Hough], is based on one of the most dangerous things in the medieval world – fleas and other blood-sucking parasites –presented as an action comedy.
“It’s a new story developed in Wagga, involving a giant flea and is based on three medieval sources including The Merits of the Plague, a book on 14th-century Cairo con artists, and The Wonders of Creation by Al-Qazwini.”
Classically trained singer Melinda Bowker is set to sing the entire show.
Professor Bowker said the preview review was being held to obtain feedback from the audience.
“We’ll be performing it in Sydney on 27 April at the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney as part of the Egyptian festival – Sham Ennessim, which originates from ancient Egypt and celebrates Egyptian culture today,” he said.
“We’ll be performing on a brand-new shadow puppet screen made by Essam Ali, a tent maker from Cairo. It’s a stunning screen created in the traditional tent-maker applique style.
“These performances are recommended for parental guidance as they contain some slapstick violence, but they are comedic in nature.”
Professor Bowker has been working with shadow puppets and theatre since 2020, with the first production of Thief of Stars. In 2023, he showcased The Alchemist’s Jar.
“Now, we’re experimenting with a much smaller show, just Melinda and me, to make it easier to tour,” he said.
“This also aligns with the traditional work of Egyptian medieval shadow theatre – we’re trying to recreate aspects of that historical art form.”
Professor Bowker said working on shadow puppets was incredibly important to the Egyptian community in Wagga.
“We’re working with elements of their heritage and collaborating with Arabic speakers to ensure the lyrics are accurate,” he said.
“More than that, we want this to be a good-humoured exploration of historical art forms.”
Goha and The Flea will be followed by an open-mic night at The Curious Rabbit to celebrate local musicians.
Those interested in attending the free event should phone Professor Bowker on 0414 659 631.
