Review of ‘Animal Farm – The Sequel’: “Still to put the cattle on”

Orwell’s literary masterpiece relives on the London stage through this new original play exploring the aftermath of the novel’s political allegory. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this rural recount of societal upheaval ends ups being all bark and no bite.

Do you hear the critters sing? Singing the song of angry beasts? It is the music of the sows and swines you won’t have for your feasts… And if you find any dirty innuendo hidden beneath that miserable rhyme, let me tell you just one thing: they are bloody pigs, what did you expect?! Sorry – that surely was a bit… unstable of me. But after all, this is the second part of the most inhuman revolution the world has ever witnessed, followed by the discontent of a community where even its livestock protested they didn’t have a cow.

Art and politics merge together in George Orwell’s acclaimed literary classic – and so do they in this self-appointed sequel. Written and directed by Ana Isabel González, the plot focuses on the new dictatorship implemented by the elite group, whose power is secured through the introduction of an addictive substance that becomes the people’s (sort to speak) new opium. As resources get scarcer and a terrible famine begins to unravel, a clandestine oppositional party will arrange a coup in order to restore the prosperity animals have been deprived of – even if that means facing the hardest of sacrifices.

Rehashing the observational style that defines Orwell’s masterpiece, the show however struggles to find the same level of sharpness in both its writing and delivery. Parting from a very similar premise as its predecessor, this continuation isn’t capable of bringing the same degree of adroitness, wit and perceptiveness as its counterpart, most unfortunately – creating too obvious allegories that, instead of offering the viewers the tools to make their own reading, ruminate its societal comment to a point where it’s no longer possible to provoke any thought; regurgitating every element in too bleat-ant a way to leave any room for interpretation, as well as the excitement that accompanies its process.

In addition, regardless of how archetypal Orwell’s characters are supposed to be, their individuality is still crucial not only for the recount to work but, most importantly, resonate. Sadly, though, we are only presented with very basic roles that don’t feature any traits of personality – as well as showing very little connection with the species they’re supposed to belong to. There’s hardly any metaphors we can spot in their animal life that can align with our own human journeys – as too often, it feels more like they are people with animal-related names instead of the poetical parallelism the novel attempted to convey.

Fine in intentions, but somehow flawed in execution, Animal Farm, The Sequel sets up a concept endowed with plowing potential – but regrettably, a great deal of it goes completely unscrewed due to its slightly uncultivated structure and much unsheared finish. A more profound, evocative delivery of form and content will be essential for the work to finally unleash the possibilities that so far it can hint, but is wistfully unable to take a full hold on at any point. It doesn’t have, by any means, to be put out to pasture, but it certainly requires more time in the barn before it can harvest any goods.

Animal Farm – The Sequel concluded its run on 9 November. Upcoming shows at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara