Theatre and book reviews by Janice Dempsey
But it’s a dynamic, imaginative production. The set is stunning: the huge broken plane, the lowering trunks of the jungle; the slope of the beach bringing the action to the feet of the front row in G-Live’s auditorium. The theatrical space is superb.
The characters of the boys are played for their symbolic significance, necessarily stereotyped. Luke Ward-Wilkinson (Ralph, the voice of reason and democracy) begins skittishly but finds a mature voice as the plot unfolds; Anthony Roberts (Piggy) is solid and likeable as Ralph’s loyal advisor and advocate of planning, codes of conduct and rules (“We must have a meeting!”). Jack, the epitome of lust for control and power through violence, brutal dogma and bullying, is played by Freddie Watkins as a hyperactive, insecure maniac. All the actors play their roles with huge energy. The synchronised speaking of Felippe and Thiago Pigato as the browbeaten twins deserves a special mention. I loved the sound track reinforcing mood and action and the frequent changes of lighting and pace, as one group of characters freezes to give way to attention to the other group who are notionally on a distant hill, or the whole ensemble moves in choreographed slow motion. “The Lord of the Flies” is one name for Satan; the Lord of Misrule is another. This drama will surely encourage its audience to go back to the novel to discover its subtleties. Janice Windle 27th January 2016
0 Comments
|
Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|