Destiny Doomed - Hard Copy Publication

PRE-ORDER NOW. Arrival date: Thursday 23rd October, 2025

Hard copy, printed on recycled paper. This publication is shipped to you. Australia wide. Unfortunately, we are not able to ship outside Australia at this time.

Destiny Doomed by Anina-Marie van Wyk, commissioned and developed by Observatory Theatre, after 'Campfire Cabaret: The Legend of Deirdre' by Etch Events. First premiered in 2022.

A destined girl is born and the King wants her to himself, locked away, controlled, his rightful claim. But the prophecy comes with a price - the child will bring great suffering - and rebellion soon ignites. Destiny? Fate? She’s not going down without a fight.

Based on Irish mythology’s tragic legend of ‘Deirdre of the Sorrows’, Destiny Doomed was developed and produced by Observatory Theatre, performed outdoors at Musgrave Park, South Brisbane in 2022, with book, music and lyrics by Anina-Marie van Wyk.

REVIEWS

“A bold reimagining of the Irish folk story. Destiny Doomed speaks to the nature of storytelling, where a story so old, so seemingly of its time, can be recontextualised and told to a modern audience in a fresh yet familiar way" - Theatre Haus

“Deirdre of the Sorrows - a story of beauty, lust, and death dating back to ancient Ireland - has inspired much retelling. Brisbane based Anina-Marie van Wyk has brought this ancient tale to new audiences, with a contemporary twist. The myth is reinterpreted as a musical, featuring female empowerment and agency" - Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane

“[...] van Wyk’s beautiful folk pop score is wonderfully written, with memorable motifs throughout that draws the audience in as the show progresses. The book, also written by van Wyk, highlights the horrors of misogyny, the patriarchy and encouraging the audience to challenge and fight destiny. Destiny Doomed touches on poignant points and shows that, whilst we have modernised, misogyny is still extremely prevalent in today’s society" - Bravo Brisbane