Ten days ago marked the end of performances for the season at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) with the stage production of “Nufonia must fall”.

This lovely film created live on stage after a “silent” graphic novel by Kid Koala was a gentle love story between an out-dated robot and a smart scientist. It starts with the robot being fired from his complaints-department job because he can’t answer the calls fast enough and is being replaced by the new, updated model. Sad, he leaves his workplace with his beloved potted plant and on his way home sees a “help wanted” offer in a diner’s window. He starts working there and meets the scientist he falls in love with. Unfortunately, he is even slower than with answering the calls in his previous job and gets replaced by the same model of upgraded robot. The scientist takes him home with her and invites him for dinner and a vacation. He is all happy until he sees a schematic for the upgraded robot model on her wall. Realizing that she is the inventor of the new model and meeting one of them in her apartment, he thinks she would want to dispose of him soon as well. In his pain he jumps out of her apartment window and flees the upgraded robot. Scuttling around until he hides in a back alley where he is found by the new robot who hands him his plane ticket and makes sure he gets to the airport in time to fly on vacation with his beloved scientist.

This story is played with puppets live on five stages, while a chamber orchestra (Afiara Quartet) and Kid Koala, the creator and author of the story, provide the background music to accompany this almost silent movie. All of this is being filmed and projected immediately on a big screen above the stage giving the audience a view of the creation in progress while seeing the final movie , simultaneously. It was a heart-warming, creative event that spoke to the entire audience. We were mesmerised by the story unfolding and thankful for NYUAD putting on the show and the accompanying workshops. We are looking forward to the next season and their shows announced here.

Until next time! Thank you, for reading my blog, Maike