The Cabin!

Part David Lynch thriller, part Fright Night drive-in flick, The Cabin! is a horror show written by kids, for adults, and is set to premiere at the Northcote Town Hall on 3 July as part of the Darebin Arts Speakeasy 2019 season.

A child virus epidemic has swept through the school leaving 90% of participants of the “community theatre spectacular” bedridden. Only the ‘Cereal Box 5’ remain immune to the virus. Tricked into cursing the theatre and unleashing a succession of wild and gory misfortunes, the audience are in for one hell of a ride.

The visual aesthetic is misleadingly low-fi; this show has genuinely been designed by primary school students and realised to a professional standard by set designer Darryl Cordell. What appears to be cutesy spookiness descends into actual horror and uncertainty as JOF loses the theatre to a zombie-kid uprising.

Created by Joseph O’Farrell (JOF) with Emily Tomlins in collaboration with 200 primary school students from the UK and Australia, The Cabin! features giant inflatable monsters, talking bins and an impending Zombie apocalypse that will destroy us all!

“Everything from the set, characters and sound has been designed by primary school students to create a gory, truly horrifying and darkly comical theatrical experience for their adult audience,” explains Joseph O’Farrell (JOF).

JOF is a multi-art performer, curator, musician and lecturer making work between Melbourne and London. He creates large-scale installation and theatre works with, and for, community and with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity, these works celebrate our diversity and bring people together in hilarious and unlikely situations.

In March 2019, JOF created Those Who Rock which premiered at Hamer Hall – Arts Centre Melbourne to a sold out audience – which featured 400 musicians from across Melbourne, playing iconic rock anthems with high profile artists such as Brian Nankervis, Ella Hooper, Adalita (Magic Dirt), Vika and Linda Bull, Yirrmal and the RockWiz band.

Director: Sarah Austin Lead Artist / Performer: Joseph O’Farrell (Jof) Co-Devisor / Performer: Emily Tomlins Set Design: Darryl Cordell Sound Design: Steph O’Hara Lighting: Jen Hector Costume Design: Emily Barrie Producers: Jo Porter and Kate Hancock