Life on the farm is kind of laid back, unless you’re a work horse, a sheep, a chicken, or a pig. They’ve had it up to their briskets with abuse, back ache, and stolen eggs. It’s time to take a four-legged stand. Hatch a plan. Kick out Farmer Jones and seize his land.
The Green Room award-winning theatre company Bloomshed (Independent Theatre – Best Production, Best Direction, Best Lighting Design and Best Set & Costume for Paradise Lost (2022)) brings their iteration of the famous Orwell fable Animal Farm to the Darebin Arts Speakeasy at the Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre. This presentation of Animal Farm has been fine-tuned, redeveloped, and is bound to make bellies ache from laughter. Bloomshed mixes big political ideas with entertaining and accessible storytelling, all combined to create a deliciously satirical high-octane mix of dance breaks, physical comedy, and confetti.
The original tale by George Orwell is set on Manor Farm near Willingdon, England where the farm animals are ripened for rebellion against Farmer Jones after many years of neglect. Taking inspiration from the tale, Bloomshed’s adaptation of Animal Farm is set in rural Australia. The farm animals have reneged on a contract with the government and the complexities of our political system come to light in this reanimated comedic classic.
Lead by Creative Director, James Jackson, Animal Farm by Bloomshed brings a light-hearted quality to the traditionally dark tale while addressing the larger issues at hand within the Australian political system.
“Satire with a fair dose of blasphemy.”- The Age
“Bloomshed have established themselves firmly as experts in reanimating classic texts to create cutting, pollical contemporary theatre.” –Theatre People
Background
Since its inception in 2014, Bloomshed have created eleven new and adapted works, presenting at Darebin Arts Speakeasy, Common Rooms x Melbourne Fringe, Theatre Works, Blue Room Theatre, Old 505, Platform Arts, The Butterfly Club, The Wedge, and La Mama Theatre. Bloomshed examines major political issues that attend our era: climate change, class inequality, and corporate greed. They are continually in a dialogue about new ways to reach our audience and empower communities to enact positive change.
James Jackson is an award-winning director, writer, producer, and the creative director of Bloomshed. His recent works include Animal Farm, Bad News (Nominated Best Writing and Best Design, Green Rooms 2021) and Paradise Lost (Nominated Best Production, Ensemble, Design, and Digital Realisation, Green Rooms 2021). Outside of Bloomshed, James has production managed the national tour of Stardust & The Mission, worked as a dramaturg with Back to Back’s Theatre of Speed and at the National Theatre of Croatia (Rijeka) on Gilulio Cesare in Egitto and Our Violence, Your Violence at the Wiener Festwochen.
Darebin Arts Speakeasy aims to support developing works and artists, encouraging them to thrive and discover new elements of their artform or performance that are yet to be realised.
Over the past decade the program has supported over 1,500 artists to create over 150 original works presented to over 75,000 patrons, receiving 40 creative industry awards and a further 116 nominations. Darebin Arts has supported many of the ground-breaking artists and companies that make Melbourne’s art sector so iconic: RAWCUS, Ilbijerri Theatre Company, The Hayloft Project, Little Ones Theatre, Stephanie Lake Company, Elbow Room, MKA, Double Water Sign, and lead artists like Joel Bray, Michele Lee, Emilie Collyer, Anna Seymour, Stella Young and Sammy J.
Further information on Animal Farm is available at arts.darebin.vic.gov.au
Known show warnings
Coarse Language, smoke and haze effects, strobe lighting, loud noises
Creative Team Credits
Created and devised by the Bloomshed ensemble: Elizabeth Brennan, Anna Louey, Edan Goodall, Sam Nix, James Malcher, and Laura Aldous,
Cast
Elizabeth Brennan
James Jackson
James Malcher
Anna Louey
Edan Goodall
Laura Aldous
Lauren Swain
Syd Brisbane
Sam Nix
Associate Producer: Ana Zhang
Dramaturg & Sound Designer: Justin Gardam
Set and Costume Design: Nathan Burmeister & Samantha Hastings
Lighting Designer: John Collopy
Company Director: James Jackson
Image by: Gregory Lorenzutti
Animal Farm by Bloomshed
Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre
12 – 23 July
Wed – Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm
Tickets available here.
