Reviewed by Chloe at Nottingham Playhouse
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
This staging of George Orwell’s 1945 novel is remarkably relevant to today in its exploration of the themes of power, injustice and exploitation. The story follows the originally well motivated animal uprising against the oppressive humans as it disintegrates into power struggles and ultimately leaves the animals back where they started.
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| Photo by Kirsten McTernan |
From the beginning, the staging of this play is well thought through, and adds drama, as if it was needed, to the performance. There is no curtain, and the audience see the farm from the moment of entry into the auditorium. The farmhouse is a floating glass box set high above the animal pens, reflective of the two-tier system the play describes. It is menacing, with clever use of lighting and strobe effects to emphasis the character of the farmerin his house, and later the pigs, lording it over the animal pens below. The striking set is used throughout the performance to great effect.
The animals are downtrodden beneath, with simple, subtlecostumes. Instead of using masks and full animal costumes, all ofthe actors were branded in some way to represent their species, whether it was on their clothing or on their skin. Each animal was also introduced at the beginning using a voice over. Although at first these costumes are perhaps slightly difficult to read, as the play progresses and the characters are brought to life, their simplicity is a strong aspect of the performance. The animals carry heavy looking cages with them, representing their incarceration, until an uprising is brought about after a dream by Old Major, the prize pig told in a rousing story to the animals before he is brutally killed by the farmer. The soundscape is deliberately uncomfortable, reflecting the themes of oppression which are being explored in the play. The animals add to this with the use of snorts and squeals as part of their dialogue, remindingthe viewer of their nature and character.
It is hard to pick standout performances in a cast where each member performs so strongly. Tom Simper plays Squealer, the supposed runt of the litter, and portrays a cunning and ruthless character serving his own ends, whilst still appearing to be subservient for much of the time. He is very persuasive. Likewise, the hardworking carthorse, Boxer, played by Gabriel Paul who draws you in with his selfless service of others, and his demise is truly upsetting with a horrific betrayal by the Pigs. The realism and world weariness of the Donkey played by David Nellist, and the character of Minty the sheep played by Farshid Rokey adds some moments of light comic relief on occasion to a play characterised by stark, harsh depiction of betrayal, loss, hardship and death.
The animals are downtrodden beneath, with simple, subtlecostumes. Instead of using masks and full animal costumes, all ofthe actors were branded in some way to represent their species, whether it was on their clothing or on their skin. Each animal was also introduced at the beginning using a voice over. Although at first these costumes are perhaps slightly difficult to read, as the play progresses and the characters are brought to life, their simplicity is a strong aspect of the performance. The animals carry heavy looking cages with them, representing their incarceration, until an uprising is brought about after a dream by Old Major, the prize pig told in a rousing story to the animals before he is brutally killed by the farmer. The soundscape is deliberately uncomfortable, reflecting the themes of oppression which are being explored in the play. The animals add to this with the use of snorts and squeals as part of their dialogue, remindingthe viewer of their nature and character.
It is hard to pick standout performances in a cast where each member performs so strongly. Tom Simper plays Squealer, the supposed runt of the litter, and portrays a cunning and ruthless character serving his own ends, whilst still appearing to be subservient for much of the time. He is very persuasive. Likewise, the hardworking carthorse, Boxer, played by Gabriel Paul who draws you in with his selfless service of others, and his demise is truly upsetting with a horrific betrayal by the Pigs. The realism and world weariness of the Donkey played by David Nellist, and the character of Minty the sheep played by Farshid Rokey adds some moments of light comic relief on occasion to a play characterised by stark, harsh depiction of betrayal, loss, hardship and death.
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| Photo by Kirsten McTernan |
Another strength of the performance is the use of British Sign Language as an integral part of the script in a successful way, with the characters using it throughout their dialogue. This brings much more inclusivity than is often seen and showed how much thought has gone into this adaption.
Overall, this play encompasses all aspects of theatre - good dialogue and characterisation, integration of lighting and sound within the performance, and a set which is reflective of the play’s themes. This is a strong show. It is not an easy watch - it is deliberately uncomfortable, reflecting the brutal themes within, but it is highly recommended.
Overall, this play encompasses all aspects of theatre - good dialogue and characterisation, integration of lighting and sound within the performance, and a set which is reflective of the play’s themes. This is a strong show. It is not an easy watch - it is deliberately uncomfortable, reflecting the brutal themes within, but it is highly recommended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Animal Farm plays at Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 12th April. Tickets are available from https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/animal-farm/
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| Photo by Kirsten McTernan |
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