AustLit

'Manor Farm is in a state of rebellion as a gang of pigs unite to overthrow their cruel human oppressor.

'Written in the 1940s by George Orwell as a response to the rise of authoritarian governments, Animal Farm is a timeless examination of extremist rule. This new adaptation continues to caution with the universal message that power can corrupt – and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

'Adapted by political powerhouse Van Badham (Banging Denmark, Q&A, The Drum and writer at The Guardian), this high-octane three-hander features a cast of stellar comedians, improvisers and storytellers. They bring to life a farmyard of characters including the hardworking Boxer and power-hungry Napoleon. This is a biting political satire that will make you grunt.'

Source: Black Swan Theatre Company.

'Ish Madigan is a feminist academic writing a thesis on computer games. Jake Newhouse is a full-time management consultant and part-time pickup artist. They’re not exactly best friends.

'But when Jake’s latest crush – a brilliant Danish librarian – doesn’t respond to his usual seduction techniques, he knows he needs help. Jake asks Ish to coach him in feminist-friendly flirtation. He’ll pay. And Ish needs the money.

'So, what’s stopping her? Oh, you know, just ethics, morals and every fibre of her being.

'From the pen of Australian playwright and social commentator Van Badham comes this hilariously explicit new comedy. Banging Denmark is a swinging satire on the men who claim to understand the ‘female mind’ and the online culture that inspires them.'

Source: Sydney Theatre Company.

'Three confronting and provocative plays about women. Muff by Van Badham – Winner of the 2014 NSW Premiers Award, the Nick Enright Award for Playwriting, Muff explores women, sex and relationships; a horrific, random rape of a young woman and the threads from this event that continue to wrap and bind their way into lives years after the physical injuries have healed. MinusOneSister by Anna Barnes – Sophocles & Electra is furiously wrenched into the present and told from the point of view of the teenagers. Eternal obsessions mingle with the obsessions of our times, bloodshed goes hand in hand with Bacardi Breezers and Facebook, and a chilling portrait emerges of a family irreversibly shattered by grief and guilt. SHIT by Patricia Cornelius – SHIT takes us into the world of three women – Billy, Bobby and Sam – three women from a violent, impoverished underclass who have landed in prison together after a vicious incident. These are the underbelly of womenhood we as a society so rarely want to admit exist.

'Alone in the museum, in the dark, Marion unravels a ball of string so Michael can venture into a mystery. In recent weeks, strange stirrings have haunted the ancient relics and rumours of a monster abound. Michael finds his way back to her and to an impossible situation.

'Marion flees and finds herself the prim centre of an over-sexed septuagenarian art group at a seaside resort. Here, Marion is infuriated by Mark, a wayward sommelier with an eye for the ladies, determined to disrupt her lessons and her life.

'Whimsical, sensual and charmingly humorous, 'The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars' is a love story of mythic proportions. It will lure you into an orgy of antiquity, cupcakes and beachside frivolity.

'Award-winning playwright Van Badham is joined by Griffin Associate Director Lee Lewis ('Silent Disco', 'A Hoax') for this delightfully debaucherous fairytale for adults.'

Source: Griffin Theatre Company.