A breathtaking and magical adventure about grief, hunting for ghosts and a secret family gift, adapted from Gabrielle Wang’s thrilling novel, winner of the 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Children’s Novel.

Leaving behind her grieving father and brother in Australia, twelve-year-old Celeste travels to Shanghai to scatter her Chinese mother’s ashes in the Isle of Clouds, her 500-year-old ancestral home.

In a land she finds puzzlingly familiar, Celeste meets her gutsy, ghost-hunting grandmother, Por Por, for the first time, and also discovers her own spirit-chasing powers. Soon, Celeste is swept into a hair-raising battle, defying dangerous ancient spirits and teaming up with the hostile Ting Ting, Por Por’s adopted child, in a race to save her grandmother.

Written by Vanessa Bates and directed by Matt Edgerton and Ching Ching Ho, Barking Gecko’s beguiling and breathtaking stage production is suitable for ages 8+.

"Wang uses beautifully depicted characters and intricate settings to flesh out this elegant tale about memory [and] cultural identity" - Aurealis Award Judges

Want to read the script and learn more? Head to Australian Plays here