No pig masks on O'Byrne's farm

ANIMAL FARM
Courtyard Theatre King’s Cross

WHILE fighting fascism during the Spanish Civil War, George Orwell learned that a group of communists had kicked his comrade, Bob Smilie, to death in a prison cell.
The news shaped Orwell’s politics for the rest of his life. His indignation inspired the satire on the Russian Revolution, Animal Farm.
Like 1984, Animal Farm describes a totalitarian regime emerging from revolution. The oppressed pigs mastermind a revolution, but end up exploiting their comrades and becoming like their oppressors.
The eternal debate is whether Orwell – who showed little interest in the parliamentary system – was attacking the idea of revolution itself or illustrating the need for worker control in revolutions.
Director Freda O’Byrne has set out to distance her production from the Russian Revolution and Orwell’s own work.
There are no facemasks or pig costumes as we have become accustomed to. The actors dress identically, in dungarees – the odd cluck and oink distinguishes the workers from their oppressors.
The Beasts of England anthem was sung to original music composed by Paul Morrell.
David Ajala played the mischievous pig Squealer with particular glee and the strut of Aine Carlin did justice to the raven Moses. Carlin and Ajala managed to stand out in a story that does not lend itself to great solo performances.
Until April 9
0870 163 0717