Animal Farm

Worcester Repertory Company

The Swan Theatre, Worcester

***

Animal Farm is one of Orwell’s most famous and significant works, a novella of sharp political satire, a powerful critique of the Communist Revolution in Russia and its aftermath. Published at the end of the war, it has since become one of the most popular of his works, a text frequently studied in secondary schools to this day.

 The story begins with Manor Farm managed by the incompetent, lazy and alcoholic Farmer Jones. Old Major, the old boar on the farm, addresses all the animals: he warns them that they are being exploited by the human beings who manage the farm, and that they should rise up in rebellion and institute a communist society where all animals are equal and free.

 The subsequent revolution results in the pigs taking over as leaders and, parodying Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin, they take control and adopt an increasingly totalitarian control over the other animals whose freedom, dignity and equality are quickly eroded. Eventually those who survive are as exploited, poor and subjugated as they were before the revolution, but manipulated by the clever propaganda of the pigs.

 The concept behind this pro-am production, the collaboration of some professional actors in central roles, working with the amateurs of the Young Rep and the People’s Rep, is excellent, but this production suffers from poor scripting and some inconsistencies in the direction.

 In the midst of that there are some very positive elements. In general the cast deliver the lines clearly and well, Rob Holman is a very effective Old Major – his opening address is well delivered; there are some general scenes which work very well when most or all of the cast are involved in collective scenes that are well managed. However the conversion of the novella to a stage script needs more radical and creative re-working to succeed fully in the theatre. To 19-10-24.

Tim Crow

16-10-24 

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