THEATRE
Adapted by Bloomshed, from the novel by George Orwell
At Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne until 22 August 2026
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: *** (3)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly, 3MBS, Sat 15 Aug 2026. KH
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| Ensemble _Animal Farm 2023_Bloomshed_photo Sarah Walker |
If you’ve never experienced a Bloomshed production, buckle up and hang on to your hats because you’re in for an absurd ride on a hurtling rollercoaster with sudden turns and unexpected twists, and plenty of laughs and squeals during their version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Bloomshed is a Melbourne based company known for its audacious and irreverent re-imaginings of classics, including Pride and Prejudice and Paradise Lost (Tall order!).
Orwell’s compelling, often brutal political satire uses the allegory of a farm populated by animals of varying intelligence and status, to parallel the political environment. In his novel, it was Stalinist Russia.
The company has devised a fast-paced, high-octane darkly comedic version, peppered with bold, comic characterisations, physical comedy and hilarious dance breaks, all accompanied by a pulsating soundscape.
When the animals at the farm of Mr Jones (James Jackson) decide they want freedom and equality, their revolt is led by the pigs, the most intelligent of the animals. Very quickly, leaders emerge and all rivals are eliminated by violent means.
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others!” Such an allegory burns deeply in countries suffering oppression but remains a political satire in this country.
Orwell’s characters represented the Russian leaders and the proletariat: Napoleon (Elizabeth Brennan) is the thuggish Stalin, Snowball (Laura Aldous), the popular voice of piggy reason, represents Trotsky, while Squealer (Lauren Swain) is Stalin’s propagandist. Napoleon is the last leader standing – and this pig is a ruthless, brutal, manipulative and self-aggrandising tyrant to match any that we see in the world today.
This is a fine ensemble, and the premise and style of the production are admirable. It begins well, then takes a bit of a turn when it reaches the Australian Senate Inquiry into the pigs’ management of food provision contracts. The chaos is funny but eventually just becomes confusing and prolonged. What is absent, is the crispness of the comic and dance interludes that punctuate the earlier scenes.
The characters from the novel are reduced to an essential few, delightful characters, including Bon Bon, the dim chicken (Edan Goodall), Shanks, the Sheep (James Malcher), Cowpote (Sam Nix) and Mollie the conceited pony (Anna Louey).
However, the most memorable and sympathetic is Syd Brisbane as Boxer, the dedicated cart horse who believes in collective work and painful labour so that all animals can be equal.
This stolid character is a tragic example of the exploited and compliant working class. He perseveres under this tyrannical leadership where others fail and fall when they attempt to rebel. When the audience thought he was about to die, an audible moan rose from the audience.
This Animal Farm is an entertaining, helter-skelter ride, but it might benefit from some directorial adjustments – not to eliminate the chaos, but to sharpen the storytelling and characterisation, particularly in the final, parliament scenes.
By Kate Herbert
Cast (also created & performed by)
Napoleon - Elizabeth Brennan
Snowball/Senator Wallert - Laura Aldous
Squealer - Lauren Swain
Cowpote/Senator Mazzacato - Sam Nix
Bon Bon/Senator Limp - Edan Goodall
Mollie/Senator Chair - Anna Louey
Boxer - Syd Brisbane
Shanks/Senator Rooke - James Malcher
Farmer Jones - James Jackson
No creative "leads" - they all write/devise it together
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