“Animal Farm” Message Timeless & Timely

March 7, 2011

Current world events underscore the timeless message of the Bermuda’s Gilbert & Sullivan Society forthcoming production of the barnyard allegory “Animal Farm”, says the musical’s director.

Author George Orwell sub-titled his 1945 classic ”Animal Farm” a “fairy story” — and in many ways it is.

Under the cruel hand of Farmer Jones the animals of Manor Farm live desperate lives until the wise pig, Old Major, implores his fellow beasts to revolt with his dying breath.

When they do, banishing Jones to a nearby pub, they find themselves uneasy with self-rule.

That is until the pigs Snowball, Squealer, and particularly Napoleon, “volunteer” to lead them.

It’s only after Napoleon takes control of the farm with the help of a snarling band of dogs, and rules with an iron hand, that the animals realise they have exchanged one despot for another. As with so many political upheavals, rebellion begets rebellion.

“George Orwell’s literary masterpiece has been incredibly reworked for the stage and the addition of stirring songs adds to the mesmerising tale you are about to witness,” said director Matt McGowan. “I feel that this play couldn’t have come at a better time with revolution happening all over the world and the people rising up to overthrow tyrannical or oppressive regimes.

“It shows us all how art imitates life and life imitates art, and that there are lessons to be learnt by all of us when sitting in a safe and comfortable theatre watching the plight of the ‘animals’ that mirror the dangerous and real lives of people suffering real atrocities all over the world even in the 21st century.”

Adapted for the stage in 1984 by famed British director Sir Peter Hall and featuring music by Richard Peaslee and lyrics by Adrian Mitchell, Mr. McGowan said he appeared in a Welsh production of the show — hailed by one critic as a play which is almost better than the original book — as a young man, a performance which had a transformative effect on his life.

“George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ has long since been one of my favourite books and plays,” he said. “I was lucky enough to be involved in a production of the play in 1997 performing the character of Benjamin for Gwent Young Peoples Theatre [GYPT].

“Being a part of such a successful production of the play encouraged me to pursue acting further and led me to a career in drama that has thankfully grown from my early days in GYPT. After performing the show it was always a play that I wanted to reprise and when the opportunity to direct for the second time for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Bermuda came my way, I recommended strongly that this was the play that they should perform.”

Mr. McGowan said the upcoming City Hall production of “Animal Farm” features a diversity of Bermuda actors, ranging from veterans of the local stage to neophytes making their debuts .

“As a theatrical society we have been lucky enough to tap into a wide range of acting ability from across the island,” said Mr. McGowan. ”With incredible enthusiasm and dedication the cast have rehearsed tirelessly throughout the process and have been able to bring the show to life. We started the rehearsal process at the beginning of February and since then through the incredible generosity of the BAC Corporation allowing us to rehearse in their new building we have been able to piece the show together and develop the characters and the storyline with depth and meaning.:

It’s not always easy being the director of a play as many hurdles are often put in the way but with the incredible production team that has worked with me we have managed to overcome them all together. Led by Jane Vickers and Barb Outerbridge the show wouldn’t live and breathe as it does and its testament to them that the cast and wider team have been cared for so well and all areas of the production so professionally attended to.”

Mr. McGowan would not be drawn on how the animals would be represented on stage — other productions have employed puppets and stylised Japanese masks among other effects.

“This is something that we rehearsed and experimented with throughout the early days and through trial and error we have managed to build real living animals on stage,” he said. “Of course, the actors are not crawling around the floor – and without giving too much away we have managed to meet a symbolic representation with elements of human movement.

“I just hope that the community in Bermuda will want to come out and see the show to see how we have created these animals on stage so successfully.”

“Animal Farm” runs from March 23-26 at City Hall and tickets are available from www.gands.bm

Rehearsal photos below, click to enlarge: