Dean Gibbons and the Knowledge of Death

Based on the claims of evolutionary psychology and set amidst the twin threats of peak oil and climate change, this show combines physical theatre, puppetry and projected imagery in a darkly comic work of social-science-fiction. The piece invites the audience to imagine that an irreversible process of rapid environmental change is already underway, that it is too late to avoid widespread catastrophe, and that a powerful few are conspiring to ensure their own survival. The narrative draws upon various scientific themes, including the concept of the Technological Singularity and the evolution of symbolic thought, to interrogate the prevalent assumption of teleological progress in evolutionary change. Its central proposition is that by better understanding the evolved nature of human psychology we might better protect and promote our individual and collective well-being. The story is seen from the perspective of two primary characters; a genetically modified Bonobo who gains consciousness of the fact of death, and its long-suffering keeper/creator hoping to design a being fit for a sustainable world.