The Wider Earth (NHB Modern Plays)

In 1831, Charles Darwin, a twenty-two-year-old aspiring naturalist, stepped on board HMS Beagle. Little did he realise that the voyage would last five years, changing not only his own life - but also the history of the entire world. The Wider Earth brings this era-defining adventure to life, from traversing the dizzying heights of the Andes to diving into the depths of the Brazilian rainforest, through weathering the storms of Tierra del Fuego, to exploring the endless wonders of the Galápagos Islands. It's a coming-of-age story about science and faith - of how one inquisitive young man asked a question of Mother Nature, and was set on course to discover the answer to one of the greatest mysteries of life on Earth. David Morton's play received its widely acclaimed premiere at Queensland Theatre in Australia in 2016, before transferring to the Natural History Museum, London, in October 2018, presented by Trish Wadley Productions, Dead Puppet Society and Glass Half Full Productions, in a partnership project with the Natural History Museum. Originally performed in a dazzling state-of-the-art production with remarkable puppetry and cinematic animations, the powerful story at the heart of The Wider Earth will inspire schools, colleges and amateur theatre companies to create simpler - but no less spectacular - stagings of their own. This edition includes 4 pages of colour production photos from the 2018 Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House production. 'A voyage of extraordinary theatrical discovery' - Sydney Morning Herald 'No praise could be too high for The Wider Earth' - The Australian

David Morton is a director, designer and playwright. He has created works, as well as designed and constructed puppets, for Lincoln Center, St. Ann's Warehouse, the New Victory Theater, Queensland Theatre Company, La Boite, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival, Terrapin Puppet Company, Darwin Festival, Adelaide Festival Centre, The Garden of Unearthly Delights at the Adelaide Fringe, Metro Arts, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Brisbane Powerhouse. David was named Best Director by the Matilda Awards in 2016 for The Wider Earth, and has been nominated for Helpmann Awards in writing and design in both 2016 and 2017 for The Wider Earth and Laser Beak Man. He holds a PhD from the Queensland University of Technology focusing on the contemporary use of puppetry for adult audiences. David is a founding member and the Creative Director of the Dead Puppet Society.