Review: Plexus Polaire – Moby Dick, Barbican Centre

MimeLondon 2025

Plexus Polaire bring their adaptation of Moby Dick to the Barbican as part of MimeLondon 2025. Three musicians, seven puppeteers and over fifty puppets tell the story of Ishamel (Julian Spooner) heading to sea and Ahab’s all-consuming quest for vengeance against Moby Dick, the white whale that cost him his leg.

There’s an impressive start; I’m momentarily baffled as clearly more than seven actors take to the stage. Through the ribs of a whale, forming the silhouette of a tall ship, they answer Captain Ahab’s ‘all hands’ call. Of course, there are only seven actors, the rest are puppets and even sat close to the stage, it is a wonderful illusion.

At well over 600 pages. Moby Dick was always going to be a challenge to break down into an 85 minute show and inevitably much has been left out. Plexus Polaire has chosen to keep a chunk of both Ishmael and Ahab’s dialogue which, while key to the story, can at times feel unevenly paced, the monologues slowing momentum. Moments such as first mate Starbuck’s desperation to get away from Ahab’s lunatic quest are shown but their story and impact isn’t fully realised without enough time left. Similarly, the duration of the voyage and the toil this takes on everyone doesn’t quite come through.

Smaller moments are portrayed with great effectiveness, notably the closeness between Ishmael and Queequeg through tender if fleeting gestures of touch and shared glances – surprisingly intimate in their simplicity and impressive how such emotion can be conveyed by two puppets.

The focus remains on Ahab’s descent into madness, brought to life through astounding puppetry. Two versions of Ahab are used: a human-sized puppet and a much larger one, the large version appearing as he obsessively pores over charts and plots his course, haunted by Moby Dick. A small puppet of the whale swims around him in circles, as if taunting him – a visually striking and simply effective piece of storytelling. Viktor Lukawski’s superb voice work as Ahab adds another layer of intensity.

The whaling sequences are magnificently staged, model ships and whales brought to life as the puppeteers cleverly manipulate the puppets, flipping them to create the effect of an overhead shot as the rowboats close in on their prey. As a chase comes to a dramatic conclusion, the butchering of the whale puppet is so vivid as to cause audience members to turn away momentarily. The lighting (designed by Xavier Lescat and Vincent Loubière) also contributes spectacularly – combined with the movement skills of the puppeteers, it create a seamless illusion. Black costumes (by Benjamin Moreau) really blend in and blur the line between human and puppet, the light expertly isolating and highlighting only the latter.

By the side, musicians Guro Skumsnes Moe, Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen and Havard Skaset play bass, guitar and drums, bringing a soundscape including waves and whale song and providing soaring moments of wailing post-rock vocals as the hunt comes to a desperate conclusion.

Plexus Polaire has made a spectacular evening of theatre, all of the technical work comes together brilliantly; the final piece, a life size Moby Dick, inspires awe as it crosses the stage. What beautiful creatures they are, and what complex creatures we are, full of hope and joy and yet full of obsession and hatred. The core of Melville’s work shines through as a magical evening of theatre and puppetry.

Directed by: Yngvild Aspeli
Puppeteers: Julian Spooner, Sarah Lascar, Daniel Collados, Alice Chéné, Viktor Lukawski, Maja Kunsic, Andreu Martinez Costa
Music by: Guro Skumsnes Moe, Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen and Havard Skaset
Puppet makers: Polina Borisova, Yngvild Aspeli, Manon Dublanc, Sébastien Puech, Elise Nicod
Light design by: Xavier Lescat and Vincent Loubière
Video design by: David Lejard-Ruffet
Costume design by: Benjamin Moreau

Plexus Polaire: Moby Dick plays at The Barbican until 25 January. Further information and tickets can be found here