It is a good show-off moment for a smaller city’s festival with a place on the national stage. Animals is the first ever Official Co-production between Ireland and Australia, written by UK novelist Emma Jane Unsworth from her own book. It was produced by Sarah Brocklehurst and Cormac Fox from the Irish side, and Sophie Hyde and Rebecca Summerton from Closer Productions in Adelaide.
While Hyde made 52 Tuesdays as her first feature with Closer in a unique development structure, this takes her into the international industry to direct a project developed by others, where her directing and producing skills are vital. I am not sure she even thinks like this, but it is a very important career move.
