Animal Farm (Lawyers on Stage Theatre) - Act I

 So... my inner actor got LOST in flight this term (by LOST I mean Lawyers On Stage Theatre, of course).

The Poster

This was my third time hanging out with this most marvellous group of people.  During the COVID and post-COVID years, the LOST folks responded by doing Radio Plays (which meant that the actors could be 'socially distant' on stage)  It also meant that folks could do their work with the script in hand.  That made it perfect for someone like me!  :-). I managed to get a spot in Dracula (as Van Helsing) and then in the Great Gatsby (as Meyer Wolfsheim).  That was fun!

The beautiful handmade book for The Storyteller

This year, the decision was to do a theatrical version of George Orwell's  novella Animal Farm.  This year, folks decided to return to theatre in the usual way (as in, off script, and staging the whole thing).  I will confess that I was a little sad about that.  I was not sure my brain was up to taking memorization seriously (and I was raised in a family of Readers Theatre afficianados). Ah well.  An Adventure!  And a chance to get the body moving again. 

 

Me in my piggy attire/makeup

We did have lots of discussion about the choice of this play Certainly, it is not the usual kind of feel-good-holiday season fare, but there is something about the story that seems relevant for our times.  At the very least, it is a story capable of generating a number of conversations about power, labour, distribution, probaganda, truth, violence, facsism, and more.  Initially I had thought to take on the role of the Storyteller (and thus be able to rely on the script), but ended up with the role of  Snowball, "The Pig of the People!" ( the 'Trotsky" of the pigs, who are of course, "the smartest animals on the farm").  

There are so many stories to be told about all the amazing work done by so many people (lighting, costuming, props, music, fight choreography, stage management, production, actors, directors, etc) to bring the play to fruition.  For here, I am just going to share a bunch of image (taken for us at the dress rehearsal by the wonderful Uumati Kisoun-Inurak! check out her instagram: @oozrii)

First off.... the set design folks were astonishing.  They used the existing set of "The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberly"  (which had a manour house), and just turned it around so we were using the backside of the set to create the space of a farm yard.  And they did this in the one evening between that play closing and us getting access to the stage; the one play closed on Sunday, and our dress rehearsal was on Wednesday.  That gives you a sense of the amazing team, so you can get a sense of how much magic had to happen in such a short time.

Opening scene, Old Major dreaming

Farmer Jones lurching drunken lythrough the barn

Old Major summoning the animals to a meeting

Singing "Beasts of England" (a dream of revolution)

Old Major dies, and leaves the next generation to struggle on.  Meanwhile, Moses (Mr. Jones' special pet) tells the animals to comfort themself with dreams of "Sugarcanday Mountain" (on which linseed cakes grow on trees).

But.... Mr. Jones' neglect finally brings on the Revolution ... and Jones is chased off the farm!

'give us food!'

the pigs (who have been secretly organizing) join in

the animals go on the attack

Napoleon grapples with Jones

The Revolution has succeeded!

And revolution completed, and the three pigs having taught themselves to read and write, the 7 Commandments of Animalism are consolidated (and the writing is on the wall!). Snowball (me) is down sharing the commandments with the 'people', Squeeler (Moira) is writing them on the wall, and Napoleon (Jake) is surveilling from above. 

"7th, All animals are equal!"

But, there are challenges.  Molly the Horse is not quite willing to give up on Sugar or Ribbons (which "should be considered as clothes!"), and the other animals are having difficulty learning the alphabet.  

"A....B....C.........."

In response, the 7 Commandments are reduced to a single easily remembered maxim ("4 legs good, 2 legs bad").

explaining the maxim in simple terms

Can the sheep remember it?  yep!  "2 legs baa-aaa-aaa-aad")

With news that Farmer Jones is returning with reinforcements to fight them for control, the animals go into action (No worries!  Snowball had studied an old book of Julius Cesar's campaigns, and coordinates the Battle of the Cowshed)

Don't worry.... we got this!

Snowball coordinates the attack on the farmers  

"We have won a great victory!"

"All animals must be prepared to die for Animal Farm if need be!"

All Animals must be prepared to die?!?!?!?!   A bit of foreshadowing?  Uh oh.  

Plus, the imagined solidarity amongst the animals is begining to fray.  One big problem is that there are no means of producing sugar on the farm (I feel the pain!).  Molly is spotted letting a neighbour farmer feed her sugar!  And the prohibition against clothes/ribbons is harder on some than others [ed note:  if clothes included earrings, I would also be in trouble]

"Molly!   Tell me you did not let him stroke your nose!"

the pigeon reports that Molly has flown the coop!

Bigger disagreements begin to emerge between Napoleon and Snowball.   Napoleon wants the animals to increase food production, while Snowball dreams of using science to reduce animal labour.

"Its the perfect place to build a windmill..."

"...which could be made to operate a dynamo..."

"...and supply the farm with electrical power!"

"This could light our stalls and keep us warm at night!"

"We will only have to work 3 days a week!"

Napoleon calls for a vote.  Both Napoleon and Snowball present their arguments to the people (Napoleon from above, and Snowball again down amongst the animals/people).  The animals are excited by Snowballs dreams of forging the future in "the white heat of technology!" until Napoleon gives the sign to release the hounds!  

the animals dreaming of technological change until....

...they notice the two growling dogs enter from the side.

Snowball, focused on the dream of the future, doesn't see the danger...

Napoleon gives the sign and the dogs go in for the attack

And there you have it.   My "ignominous explusion" as I run squeeling from the stage, being attacked by the two terrifying dogs!  

Napoleon then seizes control, declaring that there will be "no more meetings!"   And, by the way, the work WILL proceed on the windmill (which Squeeler declares to have been Napoleon's idea all along).  WTF?!

Ah well.  As Boxer says, "Napoleon is always right".

And thus, the end of Act I.   My little piggy ears are not seen again, though as it happens, I am certainly very much discussed in Act II (and held responsible for all the evils of the world, of course).

Photos from the very exciting Act II to follow.