This is a timely reminder of an outstanding allegorical tale of the Russian Revolution and the decline into a totalitarian state; with world events whirling around us, it is even more unsettling, relevant and terrifying.
The cast of Animal Farm | Photo © Manuel Harlan
The vision of Robert Icke as adaptor and director is stunning. There is a scale that defies belief and as the puppeteers melt into the background the glorious puppets created by Toby Olie take their place in this epic retelling.
The 14 puppeteers work the animals with great dexterity and the use of voice over of various notables from Robert Glenister to Juliet Stevenson create the various characters.
Somehow, the connection between the words and the puppets stems an emotional attachment to their plight.
It is hard to become engaged fully with the characters and the script leaves them lacking depth. However, the story is carried with some outstanding visual moments.
Boxer, the carthorse, being seen for the first time in his full glory; the car chases are brutal and disturbing whilst the mix of tempo and pace in the physical theatre moments are hugely effective.
The sound design by Tom Gibbons complements the production with great success and the design by Bunny Christie is a bleak, corrugated rusting barn with a new reel approach when deaths are announced.
As the sole human onstage Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Farmer Jones reflects a far more aggressive character than the drunk in the novella and the chase off the farm is an impressive moment.
This will be a memorable production for those who are lucky enough to have a ticket.
This is good story telling on a huge scale, a glimpse into a different world of theatre with skill and vision that is rarely matched.
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Reviewer: Petra Schofield
Animal Farm by George Orwell adapted by Robert Icke is showing at the Theatre Royal in Bath until Saturday 5th March 2022.
