A critically-acclaimed, national award-winning production of George Orwell's Animal Farm be staged at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre on Monday, May 24.
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Presented by Shake & Stir Theatre Co, the intensely powerful tale illustrates with stunning clarity and grotesque beauty how greed and power corrupts and with devastating consequences, can change the course of history.
After a revolution takes place at Manor Farm, the pigs assume control and under the principles of Animalism a better life free from human service is promised to all. Guided by a simple set of rules and an unrelenting respect for authority, it is not long until the rules that promised freedom become the chains that bind the animals once again.
More than 40 animals are portrayed between the dexterous performers, with each actor morphing physically and vocally in front of the audience as they bring the farmyard inhabitants to visceral life.
Animal Farm has garnered extensive national acclaim and has collected several awards including PAC Australia's National Tour of the Year; Best Production and Best Director at the Queensland Matilda Awards and, following its premiere season, The Courier-Mail announced it as the Best Mainstage Production of the Year.
"We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to revisit this production," adaptor Nick Skubij said.
"It was a joy to create and to now be given the chance to safely return and tour it for six-months, nationally, is just fantastic.
"Animal Farm has stood by me since I first read it and it still holds great relevance to audiences in 2021.
"The novel's ability to clearly, concisely and deeply affect the reader, whilst presenting on the surface as a simple, almost childish parable is astounding and now more than ever - its message should be heard."
Skubij says while the production is an honest and faithful retelling of the novel, audiences will be surprised to see how it has stood the test of time.
"It's quite possible the happenings as described on Animal Farm could unfold on the evening news on any given night," Skubij said.
"The timing of this tour comes hot on the heels of a once in a generation health pandemic and at a time when the entire human population has undergone something of a pause and a reset.
"I hope this production continues to encourage audiences to question the way we live, our ideals, our aspirations and provokes spirited conversation in the theatre foyers."
Animal Farm promises to be one of the most shocking, relevant and wickedly funny theatre events of 2021.
The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now at the CPAC box office, by phone on 4993 4266 or online at cessnockperformingartscentre.com.au.
