ANIMAL FARM

Rose Theatre

★★★

“There is much to admire, and the ideas are inspired”

The unnerving and overpowering effect of George Orwell’s novella, “Animal Farm” is how little has changed less than a century on from its publication in 1945. His biting political allegory was an unveiled attack on totalitarianism, more specifically Stalinism. We don’t need to look at history to wonder what Orwell would make of today’s leading political figures, nor do we need to rely on the Soviet-style, Communist regimes to appreciate the inspiration behind his writing. The popular graffiti slogan often seen on urban walls – ‘George Orwell was an optimist’ – is resonant today, and Ian Wooldridge’s current stage adaptation allies itself to that point of view.

Remaining faithful to the original it promises to pack a punch as we enter the grim, nightmare scenario. Metallic music throbs while surveillance cameras, perched on the vandalised, corrugated backdrop, watch us take our seats. Elements of sci-fi drift in as the harsh percussion gives way to hymnal, synthetic strings of a ‘brave-new-dawn’. A temporary reprieve, however, as those familiar with Orwell’s writing will know. Director Iqbal Khan’s production shares that sense of frustrated potential. There is much to admire, and the ideas are inspired. Ciarán Bagnall’s brutal set is more knacker’s yard than farm and the skeletal, lattice framed masks of the animals have a suitably dystopian quality. It is a shame though to spoil the effect with unnecessary gestures and playground animal noises.

Individual characterisation suffers, too, from an overreliance on provincial accents to distinguish the roles. Yet the performers are given plenty to get their teeth into and the commitment is unyielding, but it feels like they have been pushed too hard in one direction. Too many lines are shouted and even the quieter, reflective moments are over projected, as though the audience are either hard of hearing or primary school kids. Natalia Campbell’s ‘Old Major’ delivers a strong opening address that sets the scene, although the Queen Vic Cockney accent dampens the gravity. We expect a pub brawl rather than a revolution. ‘Napolean’, the chief pig whose tyranny replaces the tyranny that has been overthrown, is more precocious teenager than despot in Rhian Lynch’s hands. With Lewis Griffin’s streetwise ‘Squealer’ they rule the new regime with fake news, propaganda and an over-zealous trend of silencing dissidents. A chillingly familiar scenario. Soroosh Lavasani gives a more nuanced ‘Snowball’, the downtrodden rival to ‘Napoleon’, while Sam Black’s ‘Boxer’ – the silently-strong yet naively loyal work-horse – beckons our sympathy.

The nuances and the resonances are all in the writing. The execution, however, misses tricks and opportunities and a lot of the time we feel like we are being delivered a lecture. The setting, enhanced by Dylan Townley’s thrilling music and Gerry Marsden’s atmospheric sound design, promises the ‘fairy story’ that Orwell himself dubbed the novella. Quite why it should be considered a fairytale is open to debate, but a fable it definitely is. Khan’s production does indeed get all the points across, and we are given a stern warning about the recycling of history. Aesthetically it reproduces the story perfectly. The excessive exposition, however, obscures the general concept behind this production: a show that is plainly full of striking and thought-provoking ideas.

ANIMAL FARM

Rose Theatre then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 4th February 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

NEVER LET ME GO | ★★★ | September 2024

SHOOTING HEDDA GABLER | ★★★★ | October 2023

ANIMAL FARMMAL FARM

NIMAL FARM