When a dolphin and a whale first met onstage in Phinny & Wally, their friendship charmed young audiences and adults alike. Staged in Mandarin by Nine Years Theatre, playwright Cherilyn Woo and Nine Years Theatre bring the duo back as they explore friendship, courage, and emotional growth in a standalone sequel, Phinny & Wally: Echoes of Home.

Playwright Cherilyn Woo and director Deonn Yang shares more about the show over an e-mail interview.

Synopsis
Dive back into an underwater adventure with Phinny and Wally!

When Phinny, a gentle dolphin, and Wally, an enthusiastic whale, meet Arlo, a young bowhead whale lost in the vast Arctic Sea, they set out to help in the search for Arlo’s family. Together, they brave shifting ice, passing ships, and uncharted waters—facing danger with heart and hope.

Along the way, they learn about courage, friendship, and discover that home is more than just a place. It’s the sounds, the safety, and the love we carry with us.

Phinny & Wally: Echoes of Home is a heartwarming tale that inspires young hearts to care for the ocean—a place full of life, love, and stories worth protecting.

L-R: Cheryl Ho (Phinny), Vester Ng (Arlo), and Jodi Chan (Wally) in rehearsal for Phinny & Wally: Echoes of Home /
Courtesy of Nine Years Theatre

What made you choose sea creatures as the main characters?

Cherilyn Woo: I love the ocean. It brings me a deep sense of peace and joy whenever I’m near it. As I look out at the water, I often wonder about the stories it holds—the ones we rarely hear. That curiosity led me to think more deeply about the mammals that live within it.

The Arctic Ocean, in particular, feels distant and mysterious. It’s remote, and because of its harsh conditions, there’s been less research and fewer stories told about it. I wanted to find a way to feel more connected to that part of the world—and to help others feel connected too. The Arctic Ocean is warming much faster than the rest of the planet and changing in ways we don’t fully understand.

Through storytelling, I hope to shine a light on the hidden lives in the ocean and inspire more curiosity and care for what’s happening there—before it changes beyond recognition.

What inspired you to write a sequel to the original Phinny and Wally production that was staged in 2024?

Cherilyn Woo: Phinny & Wally started out as an idea for a book. As I was making the production last year, I realised how these two characters could help spread awareness for ocean conservation through storytelling. I felt that through stories, we can form a much deeper connection to the environment and the world. It was such a treat to see the young audiences and their adult companions come in and connect in a way that felt really honest and personal. So I was motivated to create a sequel to it. I felt that there were more stories we could tell to bring attention to the oceans and the challenges faced by the ones living in them.

What were some of the interesting insights that you got from the first production and how has that inspired your approach to this sequel?

Cherilyn Woo: One of the most striking moments during the first production was seeing how deeply young audiences connected with the story. When Phinny’s home was threatened by an oil spill, some children instinctively turned to their adults or looked away from the stage—not because they disengaged, but because they were feeling the weight of the moment. And yet, they stayed. They listened. And when the time came to help Phinny, they responded with overwhelming enthusiasm.

It reminded me that children are incredibly brave and emotionally intuitive. They’re ready to engage with big ideas—as long as the storytelling invites them in with care. That experience shaped how I approached the sequel. I realised I could go deeper—not only emotionally, but also in developing the characters’ personalities and their relationships.

As an artist, I’m always thinking about how stories can speak across generations. In this sequel, I wanted to craft something that resonates with both children and the grown-ups beside them—something that sparks conversation, reflection, and a sense of shared wonder.

This story touches on emotional ideas like home, courage, and connection. How do you find the right tone that would resonate with both children and adults?

Cherilyn Woo: I have two nephews and I enjoy spending time with them. In our time together, I’ve learnt that once they understand what is going on, the depth of their emotions are at times a lot deeper and complex than adults. That was when I realised that if I’m feeling something, they are feeling it too, and probably in a richer way.

Somewhere along adulthood, I think our emotions get sort of buried and we don’t feel as deeply as we should, so when we see the world through children’s eyes, it’s a whole new different experience.

I don’t know if I’ve found the “right” tone. I’m not sure that there is one. But I know that as long as I try my best to be emotionally real, no matter the age, I lean into the trust that it will resonate. And if it doesn’t, that’s okay too, it’s an opportunity to dig deeper for the emotional truth.

Courtesy of Nine Years Theatre

While you’ve previously directed productions for young audiences, this marks your first time directing a children’s piece completely in Mandarin. What unique considerations or challenges did you encounter in working with the Mandarin language?

I think and function in English most of the time, and as a result, I think I do take my ability to comprehend and communicate for granted. I love the richness of Mandarin, and I do get a bit sad when I can’t fully capture or appreciate the nuance of the language.

However, I am not totally unfamiliar with directing a mandarin show because my own show White, All White (presented by The Necessary Stage last year) was written in a mix of English and Mandarin but similarly, I directed predominantly in English.

With Phinny & Wally: Echoes of Home, the environment at Nine Years Theatre has been nothing short of supportive and collaborative. They have never made me feel insecure about directing a Mandarin show for young audiences in English, and if anything, this experience has made me more mindful about the delivery and clarity of the text for comprehension. Full disclosure: My command of the Chinese language is not terrible, but it’s also far from the best! So this unique position offers me the opportunity to make sure we really focus on communicating the thoughts and the story to our audience members, and if anything feels too challenging or unclear to me it then becomes a sign for me to focus more on clarifying this moment for our young audience.

There’s an interactive element where children become coral in the show. How did you approach rehearsals with the cast to ensure that the interaction feels intuitive and enriching?

During the pre-show segment, audiences are introduced to the play, and there they already take on the role of corals, as they learn that they are an important part of our ecosystem. The beauty of theatre is the suspension of disbelief. I am fortunate to work with actors who are very experienced with making theatre for young audiences, so once the context was set, the way they approached the scene and work was also very intuitive. I would say that it was largely a very collaborative process, where we would actively help make the scenes and interactions better.

Has there been any interesting discoveries in the rehearsal process?

Rehearsal rooms are always very fun to be in, and for me, no two rooms are the same. I wouldn’t say that there are specific discoveries, but I think have learnt more about marine life in these few weeks than I have in my entire life! And it really reminds me that we share this world with everything and everyone, and we really have a responsibility to love and care for our world.

Courtesy of Nine Years Theatre

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Catch It!

Phinny & Wally: Echoes of Home runs from 22 to 31 August 2025 at Drama Centre Black Box.