- Wake is a distinctly Irish celebration of death.
- But there is nothing sombre about this show, headlining the Sydney Festival at Carriageworks.
- It’s energetic, and a heady mix of dance, comedy and rock. Best for adults.
What do you get when you cross Riverdance, the phenomenon which brought Irish dance to the global stage, with Cirque du Soleil?The answer: Wake, a heady mix of dance, camp comedy, rock show and poetry that shows the world how to celebrate death.
There is nothing quite like an Irish wake. It is a celebration more than a mourning, often fuelled by music, dancing, storytelling and drink. And that, in essence, is the message of this exuberant Sydney Festival show.
As one cast member quips: “Pity someone has to die so we can live it up!” The joke lands because it carries a deeper truth — a wake is not about death so much as it is about honouring life, connection and community.
Presented at Carriageworks as part of the Sydney Festival, Wake is the latest offering from Dublin-based trailblazers THISISPOPBABY, the company behind RIOT. Here, they take the rituals of an Irish wake and spin them sideways, remixing tradition with contemporary performance, club culture and a strong sense of theatrical joy.
Yes, there is Irish tap dancing. Yes, there are fiddles and accordions. But there is also disco, slam poetry, aerial hoop, pole artistry and jaw-dropping athleticism. This is Irish culture refracted through a modern, global lens — part cabaret, part gig, part communal ritual.
The show opens in near darkness with a lone figure keening a lament, mourners gathering under umbrellas around the thrust stage. From the first moments, what sets Wake apart is its musical power. A live band plays continuously — even before the show officially begins — and that constant pulse gives the evening an immersive, heartbeat-like momentum Wake.
It kicks off when Philip Connaughton stumbles into the wake as a gloriously drunken interloper, performing falls that look genuinely dangerous but are executed with effortless control. Connaughton is a magnetic presence – equally at home in camp comedy, virtuosic Irish tap and cheeky striptease – and his opening solo sets the tone for the joyous irreverence that follows Wake.
When the full ensemble comes together for a group tap routine, the precision is spellbinding. This is Irish dance stripped of the pageantry associated with famous Riverdance stadium shows — muscular, rhythmic and thrilling.
Riverdance started in 1994 as a Eurovision Song Contest interval act. Michael Flatley took it to the world. But Wake is far more raw.
The wake is repeatedly disrupted by characters who broaden its appeal. Emer Dineen’s DJ Duncan Disorderly provides comic relief. Cristian Emmanuel Dirocie, a Dominican-born breakdancer based in Dublin, acts as a kind of MC, seamlessly blending breaking, beatboxing and audience connection.
Jenny Tufts delivers an aerial hoop routine of exceptional grace, while Michael Roberson transitions from blistering Irish tap into a strength-based aerial sequence that leaves the audience holding its breath. And then there is Lisette Krol. A multiple world champion pole artist, her routine is a showstopper.
Threading everything together is poet FELISPEAKS, who is the show’s MC. This is powerful poetry and, surrounded by music and dance. really works.
She invites the audience into a shared space of remembrance and release, acknowledging grief while insisting on joy. Even its real-life backstory – the show was slated to start earlier in the week, but the sets didn’t arrive on time. The Sydney theatre community rallied to replace missing sets and props so the show could go on.
But Irish wakes are at the centre of this show. If you haven’t experienced this phenomena, a mix of sadness, celebration and laughter, i suggest you try this skit from Irish comedian Dave Allen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhLdLTAri4U.
As he says: “A very important part of the Irish way of life is death.”
Fact Box
What: Wake
Where: Carriageworks (Bay 17), 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh
When: January 17–25
Tickets: From approx. $45–$79 (varies by performance)
Bookings: Via the Sydney Festival website – sydneyfestival.org.au
