Review of ‘Animal Farm’: “Caged fierceness”

Orwell’s allegorical masterpiece returns to the stage in a new adaptation currentlying playing at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this latest retelling of the beastly classic led him to have a cow.

Every time the word “communism” pops into my mind (thankfully, not so often), I remember all those virtuous gurus who, thinking they knew it all by age fifteen, tried to enlighten me with their righteous principles on wealth and private property. They would of course do this while enjoying their latest iPhone and carrying the unbearable weight of a whole day of shopping. But they were Marxists with a capital (bad word!) M – just only in their heart of gold (precisely…).

The greatest thing about Orwell, almost like with any other prominent author, is that his allegorical classic can’t be associated with just one side of the political spectrum. If the world was messed up a few years ago, now it’s completely doomed – and we can smell its rotten musk trumping any specks of hope.

The return of his iconic anthropomorphic metaphor to the London scene couldn’t arrive at a better time (or worse), to remind us of that too-easily forgotten idea: no matter what we do, no matter what we believe in, power will always bring destruction alongside – for the simple reason that corruption is part of mankind’s nature.

All those themes are properly presented in Tatty Hennessy’s latest stage adaptation. Currently running at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East, the show follows the original plot rather faithfully – bringing together, in quite a bold manner, the core concepts of Orwell’s fabulized manifesto, while conveying a compelling narrative that keeps the viewer enticed all throughout.

Presented through ominously tantalizing visuals, enhancing the recount’s dystopian tone, the production makes a successful effort at evoking the piece’s symbolism through subtle but mostly effective hints. You won’t be seeing any tails, snouts, or feathers – but certainly, you’ll know which one holds which. Simultaneously, its eerily beguiling atmosphere, creating an ongoing sensation of threat and decay, gives the final wrap to an overall well-executed depiction of the piece’s universe – and mostly importantly, their significance.

Yet, it’s worth mentioning that the illusion is only achieved halfway. We have all the external elements to be dragged into this nightmarish fantasy, but the moment we do, we realize there’s not that much to explore underneath that first layer. The problem relies on several aspects regarding both the writing and its delivery. It’s fair to assure that you’ll be entertained through the entire performance – whether you’ll be stunned, or even moved, is another story.

On the one hand, the characters are not provided with enough space to build a full arc. We’re introduced to their motivations, we accompany them on their journey, and we witness their destiny. However, all of them are grasped in too rushed a way, denying us the chance to properly bond – and consequently, care about what eventually happens to them. In addition, the montage fails to bring sufficient exposure to the recount’s most distressing points – thus, erasing the shock factor that would otherwise solidify the viewers’ connection with the personages’ demise.

Nonetheless, we can still enjoy the general strength of the renditions, carried out by a most committed company exuding competent presence and rapport in their choral endeavours. Among them, Tachia Newall makes one of the most memorable appearances as Napoleon, oozing command and stature in his driving portrayal of the menacingly mischievous character.

At the same time, Tom Simper endows his role as Squealer with further humanity by reinforcing the frailty of the character, while also granting him an aura of sympathy and likability. Yet, the highest praise goes to Everal A Wash as Old Major, carrying out his part with such delightful mastery, his 5-minute intervention admittedly becomes the most prized ingredient in the whole concoction.

Far from butchering a classic, though not that close to leaving audiences happier than a pig in the mud, this latest adaptation of one of Orwell’s magnum opuses flaunts stable storytelling skills. However, there are still too many opportunities to take before its high-on-the-hog potential is fully exploited.

A few miles away from farming out all that it could give, Stratford East’s production may not be the cream of the crop, but it doesn’t chicken out when it comes to narrative prowess and literary rhythm. With just a couple of tweaks to be made in order to go from passable to brilliant, the piece doesn’t need to bet the ranch when restoring its few dysfunctional components. But it definitely shouldn’t leave us waiting for that unrealized poignancy until the cows come home.

All pictures credit to Kirsten McTernan.

Animal Farm plays at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East until 8 March. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara