Belvoir’s Dazzling Premiere of SONG OF FIRST DESIRE Arrives
Andrew Bovell’s latest work, SONG OF FIRST DESIRE, is making its Australian premiere at Belvoir. This is the same Andrew Bovell who gave us the unforgettable stage triumph THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE and collaborated on the revered adaptation THE SECRET RIVER. The very mention of his name commands a wave of anticipation, and now he’s back, armed with a poignant drama that soared to acclaim in Spain last year. It’s as if we’ve been personally invited to a sumptuous banquet of passion, history, and intrigue—all unfolding on stage before our very eyes.
Bovell, Armfield, and Belvoir
When theatre lovers hear the names Andrew Bovell and Neil Armfield in the same sentence, the excitement borders on feverish. Neil Armfield—famed for productions like KEATING! and, of course, THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE—is once again joining forces with Bovell. If you recall their previous partnership, you’ll remember the richly woven narratives and impeccable staging.
Now, Belvoir itself has a reputation for championing original works and reimagined classics, so the synergy here feels almost fated. In many ways, SONG OF FIRST DESIRE is the embodiment of what Belvoir does best: telling stories with heart, conviction, and just the right hint of provocation. Pair that with Neil Armfield’s visionary direction, and you have the makings of a theatrical event that will likely leave audiences enthralled.
Writing a play from Australia about the inheritance of fascism in Spain might seem to be a massive reach, Armfield admits.
He references how fascism was officially buried—on paper, at least—through Spain’s ‘Pacto del Olvido’ (Pact of Forgetting). Yet, in Australia, we’ve dealt with our own cultural amnesia, including the erasure of Indigenous histories. By drawing such parallels, Bovell and Armfield open a window that allows us to see how a country’s past can echo through time, shaping the present in ways we cannot ignore.
A Journey Through Spain’s Hidden Chapters
Set across three distinct moments in Spanish history—1943, 1968, and the present—SONG OF FIRST DESIRE is a testament to the lingering shadows cast by the Franco regime. We follow multiple generations attempting to navigate a reality where silence has been forcibly imposed, open discussion frowned upon, and familial secrets left to fester.
At the heart of the story is Camelia, an ageing matriarch living in Madrid. A Colombian migrant is hired to care for her by her estranged twins, each weighed down by a familial legacy that seems too painful to name. This caretaker, an outsider to Spain’s own hush-hush policy, inadvertently becomes a catalyst for long-buried truths.
The intriguing tension arises from how these secret histories seep out, fracturing not only the family’s fragile unity but also unravelling each character’s sense of identity. While the play is deeply rooted in Spanish socio-political realities, it’s universal enough to resonate with anyone who’s ever felt the reverberations of an unspoken past.
Why You Shouldn’t Miss This Show
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An International Cast: Alongside Kerry Fox (who you’ll remember from Shallow Grave) and Sarah Peirse (celebrated for her work in MARK COLVIN’S KIDNEY), we have Borja Maestre and Jorge Muriel—two actors from the original Madrid cast. Their presence ensures that the Spanish heartbeat of the play remains as authentic as it was in its initial run. Think of them as cultural bridges, breathing life into the complexities of Spanish society under Franco, while guiding Australian audiences through the emotional labyrinth of families wrestling with collective memory.
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Australian Premiere of a Spanish Triumph: Data from industry watchers in Spain indicates that SONG OF FIRST DESIRE received enthusiastic standing ovations and consistently sold out midweek performances—a notable feat in Madrid’s competitive theatre scene. With Belvoir’s intimate stage, the entire atmosphere becomes a heightened experience, drawing spectators into the claustrophobic grip of secrecy and the slow, inevitable unveiling of truth.
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A Conversation About Silence: According to statistics from the global Human Rights Data Analysis Group, countries that undergo authoritarian regimes tend to record a spike in generational trauma, often surfacing decades later. SONG OF FIRST DESIRE not only dramatizes this universal phenomenon but also challenges us to re-examine our own inherited silences. Have we truly moved on from our darkest chapters, or are we simply living with them in a state of denial? The production offers no simple answers, but it does encourage urgent reflection.
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Masterful Direction: Neil Armfield’s approach to staging is unique in that he prioritises emotional authenticity over superficial spectacle. Recall how intimately he guided audiences through heartbreak and renewal in THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE. By all accounts, the same meticulous care is at work here, ensuring we are drawn into a fully realised world—where set design, lighting, and music become extensions of the characters’ emotional states.
A Closer Look at the Creative Process
One of the most fascinating elements of SONG OF FIRST DESIRE is how it was conceived in collaboration with the Numero Uno Collective in Madrid, an established creative group deeply engaged with Spanish theatre traditions. Jorge Muriel, who translated the play and also stars in the production, cites the importance of preserving the original text’s cadence. Spanish, after all, has its own lyrical undertones that inform the way characters express frustration, longing, and quiet reflection.
For Andrew Bovell, stepping into the Spanish milieu required not just research but genuine immersion. He spent months conversing with locals—learning about the lingering scars of Francoism that remain threaded through everyday life. By the time the show premiered in Madrid, it felt like a tapestry woven by both Spanish and Australian hands, each bringing their cultural threads to the loom. This cross-continental kinship is part of what makes the Australian premiere so exciting: we get to witness how a story shaped in two hemispheres comes alive in a third context.
Humour Amidst the Darkness
You might expect a play about fascist regimes and family trauma to be unremittingly bleak, but here’s the surprising twist: SONG OF FIRST DESIRE has moments of humour that sparkle like shards of light in a dimly lit cavern. Kerry Fox has remarked in rehearsal notes that certain scenes—especially those involving the Colombian caretaker—tap into that universal awkwardness of daily life. Imagine grappling with a stubborn kettle in a foreign kitchen, all while tiptoeing around an elderly woman’s fractured memories. There’s a universality to these relatable, comedic interludes that both breaks the tension and makes the subsequent emotional revelations hit even harder.
In essence, the show reminds us that laughter is sometimes the most poignant way of confronting painful truths. It’s those fleeting glimpses of levity that often make darkness more bearable—and theatre all the more profound.
The production will run at Belvoir St Theatre, and if past experiences are any guide, tickets are likely to vanish faster than you can say “¡Viva España!” For theatre buffs, missing out on this would be akin to skipping the opening night of a West End sensation. Even from a purely analytical perspective, it’s a rare opportunity to see an Australian-Spanish collaboration that grapples with historical silences head-on.
With every performance, the actors will inhabit rooms filled with ghosts of an untold past, shining a spotlight on a period in history that many would prefer to keep locked away. There’s an air of urgency to Andrew Bovell’s writing here, echoing his own words: “As the world turns toward authoritarian governments to provide solutions to its problems, SONG OF FIRST DESIRE is a reminder of the traumatic legacy of fascism on a country and its people.”
So consider this not merely a recommendation but an enthusiastic directive: secure your seat, lean in close, and let the unravelling of secrets transport you to 1968 Spain, 1943 Spain, and to the country’s turbulent present day. You’ll laugh, you’ll perhaps tear up, and you’ll walk out with a heart brimming with empathy for stories that aren’t your own but could so easily mirror the complexities of your own backyard.
The real treasure of live theatre isn’t just in the spectacle—it’s in the shared humanity that resonates in the space between performer and audience member. And if the biggest regret in life is missing out on art that stirs the soul, then trust me when I say: this is one show you can’t afford to miss.
Song Of First Desire
Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre
Dates: 13 February – 23 March 2025
Prices: $41-$97
Tickets: https://belvoir.com.au/productions/song-of-first-desire/ or (02) 9699 3444
