CW: This play contains themes of domestic violence

A play riddled with magic, myth and meaning, Changeling brings to the forefront what is often left in the dark. It is a beautifully written tale about self acceptance, a call to authenticity that challenges the pressure neurodivergent people face to “mask” themselves to fit in.

In European folktale, the Changeling is a “twisted” and “ugly” supernatural creature that takes the place of a healthy infant. This folktale sets out to do one thing: to create a scapegoat for the collective fears and superstitions adults had of their disabled children, rather than to understand them.

The play, Changeling (2025), written by Charlie Simmons and directed by Monique Wing-Yun, however, uses this tale to achieve the opposite—encouraging people to approach others with curiosity and understanding in mind.

Set in a medieval village, the play follows the story of a Changeling child. After eight years of being treated like an outcast by both their parents and the townspeople the Changeling has no choice but to flee to the forest where they are also rejected by the fairies. Through this journey, they learn to find acceptance and home within themselves rather than within a material space.

What initially struck me was how the costuming and simplistic set absorbed me into the magical world the play is in. The human characters all donned masks made of plaster which while uncanny to me, seemed to be what was “normal” in the world of the play. It is the same mask used by the Changeling to try to fit into the village—a visual allegory to the pressure for neurodivergent people to mask.

Yet, the utilisation of the mask was sometimes confusing as I thought being able to remove it indicated the character was a Changeling; however, near the end a non Changeling character also removed it. This weakened the meaning behind the mask for me.

On top of that, there were a couple of slip ups in the costuming with the fabric they laid on their head often revealing their hair underneath and the masks being positioned uncomfortably on the actors’ head. Also, the Mother had acrylic nails which I don't think were likely to exist during the 13th century…

The music, composed by Lore Phoenix Burns, while entrancing—and will definitely find a place in my favourite soundtracks playlist—was underused. Since it was often placed during scene transitions, often after pretty intense moments, the music did not succeed in moving me emotionally from one heated sequence to the next. With the majority of the play taking place in a forest or a town marketplace, the lack of soundscape coupled with the bare set made the silent moments of the scene all too empty. Often, the best way to make a dramatic silence in theatre is to make a loud scene suddenly turn quiet; that effect was not achieved here. Where the music was most effectively used, though, was during the Changeling’s interpretive dance moments. They were an entrancing and creative reflection of the Changeling’s powers.

At the core of the play are its characters: the Child/Changeling themself, the Mother, the Merchants and the Fairy Doctors. Amelia Pawsey delivered an impressive performance as the Fairy Doctor/Merchant. Despite receiving the role last minute and needing to remain on book, she managed to adapt holding the script as part of her character in a way that seemed diegetic to the play.

Cassandra Hart gave a powerful and moving performance as the mother, she carried the show emotionally, taking the audience through the ups and downs of losing and finding her child. And, of course, the Changeling (Elizabeth Gordon-Saker) gave a raw and moving performance—the way she used her voice was a standout for me, filled with emotion and power. With both characters being treated as outcasts by the village, their moments of finding comfort and acceptance within each other were made all the more emotional with their vulnerable acting. There is no better piece of art than one that makes you think about your mum and this show did that for me in a big way.

All of this couldn’t have been achieved without Simmons’ beautiful prose. The dialogue was thoughtful and heartfelt, offering insightful social commentary while staying true to human emotion and propensity to make mistakes in judgement. Unfortunately, some of the lines felt overexplained or too on the nose. The story and its ideas are brilliant but I wish the writer had trusted that the audience could keep up with his ideas.

Amidst a world of magic and fairies, Changeling brings light to the reality of a divided world where social disharmony has led to the loss of lives. The mix of fantasy and issues brings an emotional impact to its audience that stays long after the lights have gone down. 

Changeling showed at the MC Showroom as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival from 30 September to 4 October.