Death left as a Friend
You scare me so whenever I think of you, I lie awake at night thinking of when I have to see you again. Only once with my grandmother were you so obvious that I could not ignore you. What will our last meeting be like? Will it be soon or will I be unable to stand? What will I say when you offer me your hand to dance one last time? I hope to push away my fear of you before then, and learn who you really are to me. I hope that in the end Death leaves me as a friend.
In his work Death left as a Friend, Tobias confronts his concerns and thoughts on mortality through puppetry and through three hand-sewn dolls – Marcus, Mack & Paddy – he seeks to create a friendlier relationship with Death. The work culminated in a performance appearance that, like the puppets, took inspiration from myths, poetry and personal experiences.
