Pulp Reviews: Animal Farm

By Jossie Warnant

Adapted from the seminal 1945 text, Animal Farm by the New Theatre brings the issues explored in the novel into modern times. The iconic text has been adapted and directed by Saro Lusty-Cavallari, who has shown that issues of power, corruption and class remain pertinent in today’s society.

Against the backdrop of an historic theatre established with rebellious and radical ideals, the play’s minimalist staging and costuming make way for passionate performances. The play’s set (Carmody Nicol), a simple black barn on which the key and changing commandments of Animal Farm are written, is effective in creating a space which focuses the audience's attention on the actor’s sound performances. Costumes (Claudia Mirabello), simple beige linen clothing with an emblem to signify belonging to a different animal species, also work well to emphasise the austere conditions.

A refreshing Australian twist has been added, with farmer Jones (Brendan Miles) lamenting the challenges created by an ongoing drought and frequently seen at the pub with his mates. The rhetoric spouted by Squealer, is also highly reminiscent of that of many local politicians, with the audience enjoying actor Zoe Crawford’s somewhat comical performance.

As the ruling class of Animal Farm, the pigs draw much of the focus of the play. Beginning with Old Major’s (Brendan Miles) menacing call to rebellion and continued with the exploration of the fraught relationship between Napoleon (Angus Evans) and Snowball (Lachlan Stevenson), the interpretation provides a peek into the minds of these intelligent sows not seen in the book.

The horses, Boxer (Laura Djanegara) and Clover (Imogen French) representing the working class, provide strong visual performances, often seen lugging around heavy objects to build Animal Farm while the pigs seem to do little work at all. Djanegara and French play off each other well, with their character’s ignorance and trust in their leaders demonstrating to the audience how populations can be manipulated by misinformation.

Moses (Sue Broberg) provides respite from the intensity of some of the performances, speaking about the mythical sugar candy mountain, an allusion to the use of religion by authoritarian regimes.

Scene transitions are frequently provided by a projection onto the white stage curtain, which can be jarring at times and interrupt the overall flow of the performance.

Animal Farm is a solid return to live theatre, with good performances provided by the actors involved. The play brings forward concepts that are as thought provoking for audiences now, as when the original text was conceived.