In a new documentary theatre work, Windmill has engaged some "reliable and unreliable experts" to answer queries from their audience about life's biggest mysteries. Ahead of the show, we've collected some of the experts' responses, which you can hear in their own words.

From small bodies sometimes come big questions.

Windmill Theatre Company’s upcoming show Creation Creation draws on the expansive sense of wonder of its young audience, asking them: what are the big mysteries of life you want an answer to?

“Interestingly, the questions did narrow down into categories,” the show’s co-creator and director, Rose Myers explains.

“We interviewed a lot of people… and once we isolated the questions, there were groups – a lot surrounding how did the world begin; a lot surrounding how are babies made; or how did I get here; or why am I in this family that I’m in?

“We grouped them and then focussed that down into one question. And then we would pursue experts – both reliable and unreliable experts – in the community to respond to those questions.”

Fleur Elise Noble and Jonathon Oxlade

On stage, Creation Creation both posits and answers these questions using field-recorded audio, while designers and performers Fleur Elise Noble and Jonathon Oxlade (also co-creators of the show) respond to and enact the answers in-person.

Rose, who is also Artistic Director at Windmill, says while the questions seem to push into solemn territory, Jonathon and Fleur’s performance makes the show a joyful exploration of the ideas and themes kids are already thinking about.

“I think in some way the show gives voice to kids,” Rose says.

“People in the middle of life are too consumed with everyday life to actually think big picture at times. They’re just having to keep up with the pace of managing their own young family, or managing their job, or whatever they do, but you do actually have a bit of space when you’re a child.

“It actually represents things that kids are thinking about, so I think for a broader audience, that’s actually a really good thing about the show.”

The show has been created alongside theatremaker Roslyn Oades, who is known for her documentary theatre work, and will debut at DreamBIG Festival next week, running from 19—23 May.

As a primer, Windmill shared with CityMag some of the audio from the interviews that informed Creation Creation, answering and asking some of life’s big questions. Click the text to hear the expert’s own words.

Bronte Nichols

How did the world begin?
Scientists think, that about 13 billion years ago, there was what we call the Big Bang… and that was when there was sufficient matter in the universe to actually explode.

Jared and Tilly Thomas

Is there other life in the universe?
I’ve seen Min Min lights. They’re kind of like these balls of light, that kind of float across the landscape… My dad and other uncles and aunties have told me about the Min Min lights. Stories about stockmen and stuff, following them and being lost, out in the bush… With friends on a school camp when we were in the Southern Flinders. Near Nhawiranha, or Devil’s Peak. We were just kind of mucking about and then we’re like, ‘Wow, what’s that?’ We could just see this light, just floating around and, just moving, abnormally… And I’m sayin’ to my friends, Oh, don’t follow the light. It’s the Min Min.  We’ll get lost. Don’t follow it… Then it just took off.

Jun Huai

How did the world begin?
From the Chinese side, the creator will be a giant named Pangu, with a huge axe. Pangu used to live in this mixture of chaos-air, in an egg. It looks like a chicken egg. Pangu used to sleep in this egg for over 18,000 years. One day he opened his eyes, and he’s not comfortable, he wants to get out, and he used a big axe to cut open the egg… and it creates the earth and the sky.

Muzafar Ali

What will life on Earth be like in 1000 years?
I see a bleak picture of Earth in 1000 years. We are not doing justice with this planet. We are fighting and we are greedy… We are invading jungles, we are destroying our forests… Yeah, the world would be a barren place. Probably no human being, just some cockroaches, because they’re so resilient.

Rachel High

With all the people with disabilities like I have… how long did it take them to understand their orientation?

Hear the answer to Rachel’s question by heading along to Windmill’s production of Creation Creation, showing in the Festival Centre’s Space Theatre from 19—23 May.

More information and tickets available here.