A woman prepares to welcome her first baby as she grieves her dying father. But as the happy and sad days fast approach, neither the funeral home nor the hospital feel like the right fit.

Commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in response to the work of visual artist Ron Mueck, FUNERAL GAMES considers both ends of the life cycle. With a soaring score performed live by songwriter and sound designer Alyx Denison, the act of listening and bearing witness become central. Performed in a relaxed setting, this gently elegiac work reflects on fundamental questions of how life and death are celebrated in Australia.

Co-creators: Mark Rogers, Solomon Thomas, Malcolm Whittaker, Steve Wilson-Alexander

Text: Mark Rogers

Director: Solomon Thomas

Performers: Alyx Dennison, Catherine Văn-Davies, Steve Wilson-Alexander

Sound: Alyx Dennison

Dramaturg, Mortality and Funeral Research Consultant: Victoria Spence

Creative Producer: Malcolm Whittaker

Administration: Intimate Spectacle

FUNERAL GAMES premiered at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in January 2026.

Documentation images: © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins