Andrew Edlin Gallery is pleased to present Snonkey and Eli Do 10th Avenue, an installation, exhibition, and performance series by the renowned theatrical puppet troupe Wakka Wakka Productions. From January 23rd to February 1st, 2014, Wakka Wakka will put on four performances: Thursday, January 23rd at 7 pm; Saturday, January 25th at 3 pm; Thursday, January 30th at 7 pm; and Saturday, February 1st at 3 pm.
Snonkey and Eli Do 10th Avenue transports viewers to three distinct sociopolitical and economic eras, and entails a recounting of the real life story of Moritz Rabinowitz, a Polish Jew during the years leading up to World War II, who was sent to Norway by his family to escape the pogroms. With the help of dry, witty commentary of Wakka Wakka’s own Snonkey and Eli, the performances at Andrew Edlin Gallery push boundaries with theatrical works that are both spontaneous and thought-provoking.
Wakka Wakka is a collaboration among Gwendoyn Warnock, Gabrielle Brechner, and Kirjan Waage. All of the puppets in Wakka Wakka’s productions are made by Waage.
Kirjan Waage was born in Haugesund, Norway. After graduating from the University of Bologna in 2003, he moved to Paris to complete the two-year Laboratory of Experimental Movement program at Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. It was in Paris that Waage began crafting stuffed animals. From stuffed animals, he expanded to puppets.
Since 2001, Wakka Wakka has produced ten original theatrical works that have toured extensively throughout the United States and abroad. Their productions are highly physical, overlapping in a wide range of styles while incorporating elements of object manipulation, puppetry, masks and original music.
Wakka Wakka is the recipient of many honors and awards including a 2013 Creative Capital Grant, 2013 Special Drama Desk Award for Sophisticated Puppetry, a 2011 Obie Award Grant and 2008 UNIMA Citation of Excellence. Wakka Wakka has received critical acclaim in the New York Times, Village Voice, TimeOut NY, Back Stage and Variety, amongst other publications.