11 – 15 February
2025 marks the eightieth anniversary of the publication of George Orwell’s classic cautionary tale, “Animal Farm”, regarded by the critic AN Wilson as “surely one of the greatest works of literature of the twentieth century”. A bold choice for any theatrical production given the predominantly non-human cast of characters, Bolton’s Octagon Theatre have embraced the challenge of bringing this remarkable tale to the stage in what Chief Executive Roddy Gauld and Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham describe as “…a fresh and captivating adaptation that offers a new perspective for modern audiences, while honouring the timeless message of Orwell’s work”. The result is an energetic and imaginative interpretation that has much to recommend it.
The show’s contemporary slant is immediately evident from the staging. Orwell would, I’m sure, have simultaneously approved of and abhorred the CCTV cameras which look down on a stark, dark stage whilst an unsettling score infuses a sinister, edgy atmosphere to proceedings. Rotating corrugated iron sheets serve cleverly as barn doors and also the walls on which the Seven Commandments are initially daubed, then surreptitiously amended. The stage has an industrial minimalism which suits the novel’s brutal themes, aided by some effective lighting and a soundtrack which fuses urban, industrial and even techno as it throbs and pulses abrasively.
Into this modern landscape step, trot, prance and prowl the animal inhabitants of Animal Farm, their patchwork and tattered costumes surmounted by some visually striking, skeletal headpieces which, whilst ingenious in their construction, may have worked better as masks rather than hats. The Lion King, War Horse, The Life of Pi….their stage versions all work because we see the animals they convey more than the actors who operate them, but all too often tonight I found myself looking at the actors’ faces rather than their costumes – it’s an imaginative trick which the show doesn’t quite pull off. However, there is highly effective use of physical theatre from all six cast members to successfully suggest the mannerisms and behaviours of each farmyard resident. The show does not lack effort from the players either, many of whom portray several animals across the two-hour show with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.
Particularly impressive are Lewis Griffin as a suitably odious and sly Squealer, and Natalia Campbell’s wonderfully equine Clover. Sam Black is perfectly cast as the heroic Boxer too. The excellent Soroosh Lavasani, Snowball in the first act, is a little under-used in the second half whereas Rhian Lynch hams it up, perhaps a bit too much, as a very different kind of East-End Napoleon. A couple of musical numbers compliment the performance: the cast show their vocal range with a rousing performance of “Beasts of England”, but an Elvis-style song about “Sugarcandy Mountain” by Moses the raven feels completely incongruous and rather ill-judged.
In bringing adaptor Ian Wooldridge’s script back to the stage, director Iqbal Khan is keen to present “…..a new vision of a vital story”. It seems Orwell’s allegorical tale is more vital and more prescient than ever in a world we find increasingly ruled by tyrants, despots and brutal regimes. Some clever touches, a talented cast and some fresh ideas make this an engaging spectacle, even if the final product feels a little flat in places, rather chaotic in others. To get the most out of the performance, familiarity with the novel is almost essential as this timeless tale seeks a new, younger audience, eighty years on.
★★★☆☆ Tony Clarke 12 February 2025
Photo credit: Pamela Raith Photography
