English News

Year 9 Theatre Excursion: Dreamtime Deception and Devastation (DDD) Theatre Excursion

On Wednesday 12 August, 3 of us were lucky enough to go to the Year 9 theatre excursion and watch Bloomshed's rendition of Animal Farm. It was an eye-opening interpretation which wasn't afraid to satirise government systems and societal progress. More specifically, this version of Animal Farm exposed the deep flaws in the Australian parliament system linking it back to the book's ideas of failed revolution. Having studied another one of his novels '1984' in class, this play invited us to consider the implications of Orwell's work in a different way, using his ideas such as constant surveillance to examine our own society. This helped us see that Orwell was an author who recounted historical events. He was writing about human nature, patterns that appear in society and ultimately warns us about what happens when certain systems are pushed too far. Overall, this was an unforgettable experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing this modern twist on Animal Farm.

Cody Tang, Justin Charlestio and Aleksandar Delosevic

Year 10 Students

On Wednesday 12 August, the whole Year 9 cohort was given the chance to embark on an excursion at Melbourne Arts Centre to view Bloomshed’s theatrical adaptation of Animal Farm for English class. Not only did it showcase to us all a witty and galvanising reinterpretation of Orwell’s work under a modern Australian lens but provided us all with an opportunity to experience a live theatre performance firsthand, a form of expression that would be important to be familiar with in future studies for English. 

Because live theatre can often be quite remote for some, the goal of the excursion was to promote equity–because all animals are equal–by giving all students the chance to experience this prospect, which for many was their first time. Later years in English often incorporate analysis of the elements of theatre, so the excursion aimed to enrich our knowledge through direct experience.

Early that Wednesday, we assembled outside Melbourne Arts Centre and followed our teachers’ instructions. But before we were to treat ourselves to view the play, we had to gather into our groups to snap photographs for our visual essay. Given a list of destinations within the city, we had to collect pictures of all of them, while later reflecting on each and how they linked to First Nations and colonial history. One thing we noted was that most of the aspects of the places that linked to Western colonialism were usually older, while the installations within the city that acknowledged First Nations’ culture were more contemporary, showing how this shift of inclusivity was still relatively new, though growing over time. 

We all returned to the Arts Centre in the afternoon and prepared for the performance, and as soon as the lights went down and the motley crew of Napoleon, Snowball, Boxer, Mollie and friends burst onto stage we knew we were in for a delectably audacious rendition. Running at only around an hour, this is no obstacle, twisting in action and events to the brim, perfectly boisterous though not bloated. 

The actors were superbly attuned to their characters, and it was enthralling to see a new reimagining under a wholly different snapshot and form. It proved how powerful art is as a platform for expression and calling forth change, and how some messages are timeless and universal, no matter the allegory.

Charlotte Chong

Year 9 Student