logo

QPAC

Accessibility Toolbar
  • What's On
    • All Events
    • Accessible Performances
    • Clancestry
    • First Nations
    • Digital Stage
    • For Schools
    • Backstage Tours
    • Festivals & Seasons
    • Gift Ideas
  • Visit
    • Accessibility
    • Getting Here
    • Eat & Drink
    • Our Theatres & Spaces
    • Traffic Updates & Notices
  • Engage
    • Creative Learning
    • First Nations Art
    • Projects & Events
    • Behind the Scenes
    • Community Support Program
  • Support
    • Donate
    • QPAC Foundation
    • Supporters
    • Partnerships
    • Gifts in Wills
    • Membership
  • Secondary Links
    • My Account
    • Gift Certificates
    • Newsroom
    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • About Us
    • Venue Hire
    • Functions
    • Working with Us
Stay up to date with QPAC news. Subscribe to QPAC emails.
QPAC logo
Queensland Government emblem

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians

We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors of this land, their spirits and their legacy. The foundations laid by these ancestors give strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations, both First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, towards creating a better Queensland.

  • …
  • What’s On
  • Digital Stage
  • Ishmael by David Morton
  • On Demand
  • Theatre

ishmael-by-david-morton Ishmael by David Morton Dead Puppet Society On Demand, Theatre Dead Puppet Society Ishmael by David Morton

Rent Now
Digital Stage
Rent Now
$10

Overview

A dead earth. A climate refugee. A voyage to the outer solar system.

On the resource-depleted earth of a not so distant future, a young climate refugee named Ishmael is given the chance to build a new life, provided she can survive a voyage to the outer solar system aboard the MV Pequod under the command of the obsessive Captain Ahab.

Moby Dick reimagined as a contemporary space saga, Ishmael recasts earth’s no-longer-vast oceans with the immensity of the universe, and the endless possibilities and terrors it holds. In weaving the story to life, this boundary pushing production melds live film making with live action, miniature sets, puppetry and an original score by indie pop musician Bec Sandridge to tell a captivating story about individual hope and collective redemption.

Themes

  • Climate change
  • Class system
  • Fate
  • Limits of knowledge
  • Power
  • Culture
  • Rebellions / activism
  • Loss
  • Powerlessness
  • Identity
  • Obsession

Curriculum Links

Dramatic Form and Style

  • Contemporary Theatre including Design Led Theatre
  • Visual Theatre including Object Theatre
  • Mediatised Performance
  • Cinematic Theatre

Dramatic Conventions

  • Openness of Form
  • Appropriation
  • Hybridity
  • Contemporary Music

Learning Resources

  • Learning Resources - Ishmael

Important Information

Year Level Suitability

Years 7 to 12

Digital Stage for Schools

CLASSROOM ACCESS $100: Rent for 12 weeks unlimited viewing including individual access for up to 40 students to watch on their devices.

SCHOOL ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION $600: Gain access to a library of performances, behind-the-scenes content, education notes and more for a whole year. This subscription provides easy access for all teachers at your school with one admin login to use on multiple devices simultaneously. Add on individual student access to the subscription to further enrich their learning.

Find out more about Digital Stage for schools

You may also like

  • Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra Heartstrings

    Rent Now
    Digital Stage

    A captivating musical journey featuring Frank Martin, Tchaikovsky, Jessie Montgomery, and Copland.

  • Ensemble Q Deep Blue

    Rent Now
    Digital Stage

    Dive into the immersive world of the ocean with Ensemble Q's Deep Blue, where musicians perform in black clothing, under blue light, creating an underwater ambiance.

  • Ensemble Q The Dinner Party

    Rent Now
    Digital Stage

    Ensemble Q showcases the clash between deep romanticism and atonality through works by Webern, Berg, Schoenberg, Puccini, and Mahler.

  • Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra From My Homeland by Camerata

    Rent Now
    Digital Stage

    Immerse in evocative Australian music with William Barton & Véronique Serret. Camerata's performance celebrates our connection to place and unique stories.

  • Ensemble Q Fish, Chips & Warm Beer

    Rent Now
    Digital Stage

    Ensemble Q’s Fish, Chips & Warm Beer explores a selection of masterpieces by heroes of British music.

  • Morning Masterworks 2: Rachmaninov & Shostakovich

    Queensland Symphony Orchestra Morning Masterworks 2: Rachmaninov & Shostakovich

    22 May 2026, 11:30am
    Concert Hall

    Don’t miss the 2nd movement of Rachmaninov’s beloved Piano Concerto No.2 alongside Shostakovich’s emotional 5th Symphony in this 90 minute concert.

  • Maestro 3: Rachmaninov & Shostakovich

    Queensland Symphony Orchestra Maestro 3: Rachmaninov & Shostakovich

    23 May 2026, 7:30pm
    Concert Hall

    Experience Rachmaninov’s beloved Piano Concerto No.2, Shostakovich’s emotional 5th Symphony, and Cathy Milliken’s Catalogue of Sky.

  • Revolution Remixed

    Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra Revolution Remixed

    29 May 2026, 7pm
    Concert Hall

    Sweeping heroism and heart-stopping intensity are the perfect showcase for Camerata in full force, with all the richness of woodwind and brass on display.

Stay up to date with QPAC news. Subscribe to QPAC emails.
  • 136 246
  • Contact Us
  • Help
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
QPAC logo
Queensland Government emblem

Principal Partner

© 2026 Queensland Performing Arts Trust. All rights reserved.