Taman Budaya Yogyakarta once again stood as a silent witness to the birth of a powerful and captivating theatrical performance. On Saturday, August 29, 2026, English Literature students from the class of 2024, performing under Teater Pandora, successfully staged their 33rd production titled Mimpi, Mati, dan Tirani (Dream, Death, and Tyranny). The opening ceremony was made even more special by the presence of three key university leaders: the Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, S.Ag., M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.; the Dean of the Faculty of Adab and Cultural Sciences (FADIB), Prof. Dr. Nurdin, S.Ag., S.S., M.A.; and the Head of the English Literature Study Program, Dr. Ulyati Retno Sari, S.S., M.Hum.

​During the opening remarks, the three leaders took turns delivering warm welcoming words and heartfelt appreciation for the entire production team. They praised the spirit, creativity, and dedication of the students who successfully mounted a large-scale performance. Their presence and appreciative remarks provided an immense morale boost for a production that had undergone ten full months of rigorous rehearsals and careful preparation.

​Adapting George Orwell’s legendary allegorical work Animal Farm, the script was delivered with a compelling dramatic approach. The first act opened on an emotional note as Pak Tua Toto, an elder pig, shared a narration of his dream. Standing before his fellow pigs, Romo and Peggi, as well as Tigor, a loyal horse, Pak Tua Toto shared a grand vision: a dawn of freedom for the farm animals from the grip of cruel, ruthless, and greedy humans. Shortly after passing on this surge of hope and spirit of resistance to the next generation, Pak Tua Toto drew his last breath.

​The elder's passing served as the ideal catalyst for Romo, a pig character who had harbored grand ambitions and a thirst for control from the start. Together with his faction, Romo plotted to overthrow the ruler of the farm, Mr. Jaka. The climax of the rebellion was staged with escalating, high-strung tension. The stage successfully brought a sense of chaos to life through skillful lighting and sleek visual design. The atmosphere grew increasingly terrifying as the children's song "Cicak-Cicak di Dinding" was recontextualized into a haunting background chant, giving the audience chills amid the slaughter.

​However, the true tragedy only began after the bloody rebellion ended. Having brutally killed Mr. Jaka, Romo began to unmask his true nature. The long-heralded promise of freedom transformed into a new form of oppression. Becoming increasingly ruthless, Romo consolidated his power with the help of Mega, a highly intelligent yet cunning pig. Through crafty rhetorical manipulation, Mega successfully subdued all the farm residents into submission to Romo.

​Overall, the two-hour performance held the audience’s rapt attention from start to curtain call. The impressive set design and detailed props vividly brought the farm atmosphere to life in an immersive and convincing manner. Through Mimpi, Mati, dan Tirani, Teater Pandora did not merely present an aesthetically entertaining spectacle, but also delivered a sharp socio-political reflection: that a resistance movement claiming to fight for freedom, if hijacked by personal ambition and the fear of losing control, will ultimately give rise to a new tyranny far more horrifying. (MF)