Review: Animal Farm

by Kate Bull

"All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others"

A fairy tale or a nightmare? It all began with a dream of equality and freedom from oppression but slowly a tragic tale of hierarchy, betrayal and dictatorship unravels.

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This weekend saw the Drama Barn transformed into the ‘Drama Farm’ for Ian Wooldbridge’s stage play of Orwell’s allegorical novella.

The set was fantastic – appealing to all the senses: smell, sound, sight and touch. It was a visceral treat for the audience, for it involved them in a way that did not patronise (unlike some examples of audience interaction). The viewers were amalgamated to become part of the set – locked behind fences and pens. The transverse stage configuration was inventive: we became both audience and participants, unable to control the monstrous, swine-led events that unfold. Sarah Palmer and Kat Ronson deserve congratulation for their work. Although, this inventive stage proved haphazard at times both for the actors and audience, as no one seemed safe from the 'splash zone' of various liquids and fruity debrees, and the issue of broken glass at the end of the performance obliged the audience to leave through the back door. The ‘fourth wall’ was well and truly broken with the audience encouraged to feed the actors on entry.

Technically, lighting was used very effectively. Use of blackouts (which normally seem to me amateurish) worked well to enact the Battle of the Cowshed. Combined with a red gel and threatening tableaux, the blackouts were a contrast to the deafening chaotic atmosphere created by the anthropomorphic action. Music, again, was used well to work against the constant, rasping speech of the cast. The most notable musical interlude was Ross Cronshaw’ saxophone playing – live music on stage is always impressive. Equally, the (there is no other word for it) hearty singing of the cast at the beginning of the play, led by Mungo Tatton-Brown’s Old Major, was emotional and rousing. (Tatton-Brown’s acting was especially impressive as he created two greatly differing pig characters – Old Major and Minimus).

The physicality of all the cast members was impressive, but it was Peter Marshall’s Napoleon that stole the show. With great presence on stage, he commanded both the characters and audience admirably. Terrifying, monstrous and disgusting, his performance was enthralling. Adam Seldon’s obsequious Squealer worked fantastically well with Marshall’s character: they created an infuriating duo. Physically, all the cast should be congratulated for putting such immense effort into the creation of their animal aliases, seen too in the vocal variety on show. Power relations were impressively through Palmer and Ronson’ direction and good special awareness. Pig power was easily recognisable.

Oliver McKinley as Benjamin the Donkey was very good, as was Mitch Holder-Mansfield’s Boxer. (I am very protective of Boxer as a character, whose story has always touched me. The play made me well-up as he was taken away, and thus, to me, was a success.) Boxer’s opposite number, Clover, was sensitively portrayed by Hannah Schembri.

Generally, this performance was very impressive. First night nerves slightly affected occasional lighting and scene transitions, but otherwise, it is a treat to not only to be beheld, but to be immersed in.