“After the war...I had discovered what one man
could do to another... [what could be done] skilfully, coldly, by educated
men, doctors, lawyers, by men with a tradition of civilisation behind them, to beings
of their own kind.” William Golding in his essay “Fable”
'Lord Of The
Flies' was first published in 1954 becoming a classic. Author Sir William
Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature 1983. Playwright and
novelist Nigel Williams's stage adaptation of the novel was first
professionally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-Upon-Avon
in July 1995. Williams states, “William Golding, who was extraordinarily
kind and helpful to me in preparing my adaptation of his novel, always said
that the principal problem, for him, was whether a theatrical performance could
show the process of boys becoming men’’ (Pilot Theatre Education Pack 2008). I
mention this as Director, Emma Jordan, using Williams’s adaptation, flouts
tradition and breaks the mould of what is essentially a boys’ fantasy horror
desert-island tale, in this spirited all female (apart from the Naval Officer
[Matthew Bulgo]) production set in present day.
A plane has
crashed on a desert-island while evacuating schoolgirls from war. The girls
fully believe that civilisation has been annihilated by nuclear bombs (except
for Ralph [Lola Adaja] who repeatedly states that her father is in the Navy and
will rescue them). This belief quickly brings out the worst of human traits as order
breaks down and anarchy ensues. A marching choir led by school prefect Jack
(Kate Lamb) joins an initially playful Ralph and Piggy (Gina Fillingham).
Fillingham, superb as Piggy, provides some lovely comedy as well as some of the
darkest moments of the play. Kind and intelligent, Piggy is singled out
immediately as a figure of ridicule because of her weight, different accent and
short-sightedness and is cruelly bullied. Adaja leads a strong ensemble cast
with Lowri Hamer as a younger child Percyval remaining believably childlike
throughout. Twins Sam and Eric, played by real life twins Lowri and Mari
Izzard, in their first joint roles, bring a natural empathy and impeccable
joint timing to the stage.
Ralph and
Jack gather separate followings after Ralph wins an initial vote for a democratic
leader. The girls take sides, forming tribes, as politics take over and Jack
becomes more and more aggressive with promises of food and fun over Ralph’s
rescue strategy of shelter and fire. Piggy’s glasses become a metaphor for
survival as they are used to start a rescue signal fire. Middle-class Jack,
bred within the country pursuit of hunting, feels she should be the natural
leader but becomes a dictator leading her tribe in search of food, armed with
knives and makeshift spears, chanting ‘kill the pig’. Kate Lamb brings an
athletic physicality to Jack as she leaps about the static set designed by
James Perkins using multi slim (driftwood) stakes to support a snaking tiered
runway representing a gritty, grey island beach, forest and hilltop. The whole
cast intertwine beautifully with the set giving depth and physical layers to
the performance. Covered in pigs blood the girls realise they too need fire to
cook the freshly killed pig. Amidst the chaos is fear. Fuelled by their own
fear of an unknown beast and incited by Jack to a tribal, spear wielding dance
(that even Ralph joins), Roger (a menacing Hannah Boyce) stabs and kills the
spiritual Simon (Olivia Marcus) who stumbles in their path. Piggy’s glasses
become the centre of power as Jack steals them, but without them she cannot
see. This lack of vision is exploited, inciting more ridicule and bullying. Further
death is on its way as the girls grow more savage and divided with time until
rescue brings accountability - but hey, they’re only kids playing…
So ‘boys
becoming men’ translates as girls becoming women? Well not quite. The girls are
already feisty, and despite the script’s outdated version of class
discrimination, Jordan successfully challenges a modern culture where bullying
and knife carrying gangs are real.
The play transfers to its co-producing Sherman theatre on 17th
October.
Reviewer - Barbara Sherlock
on - 2/10/18
on - 2/10/18
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