LORD OF THE FLIES.

Tour

LORD OF THE FLIES
by William Golding adapted by Nigel Williams

Runs 2hr 30min One interval
Review Hazel Brown 22 March 2005 at Lighthouse, Poole

Young cast brings Golding's pessimistic view of society vividly to life.Eight young actors rise to the challenge of bringing Golding's pessimistic view of how society would disintegrate to the lowest common denominator when a school group crash-lands on a deserted island vividly to life in this excellent stage adaptation.

The plane crash is tellingly evoked at the beginning of the play, with the boys hanging onto pieces of wreckage as they are flung about the stage. The crashed plane remains the centre of the action, its tail-piece becoming an important prop, the remains of the fuselage front serving as both a cave and the rocky eyrie of the piece's villains. This is a spare and imaginative piece of stage design.

Andrew Falvey is excellent as the fair-minded Ralph, who attempts to bring some kind of order and shape to the shattered lives of the boys by creating shelter and trying to keep a fire going, both as a signal to any passing ship or plane and as a comfort. He is backed by Piggy, Jesse Inman in fine whining and squinting form, in his attempts to bring order. However, they both come up against Jack, a Hitler-youth style prefect from a choir school, who manages to create a splinter group after failing to get the vote to become the leader. Alan Park is truly sinister in his championing of hunting and blood letting and in spreading terror of the mythical Beast'.

The hunting pack that Jack leads to kill a pig is terrifying and begins the disintegration and bloodlust that destroys the putative small society. Simon, an epileptic with visionary tendencies, tries to distance himself from the bloody goings-on and pays the ultimate price for his strangeness. Eventually the gang, lead by Jack, turn on the hapless, fat Piggy and ultimately Ralph as well. The music, particularly the drum and bass during the crash, the hunting and celebration scenes, adds to the menacing and thrilling atmosphere.

This is an excellent production and, judging by the reactions of the huge numbers of young people in the audience, it certainly brought their set book vividly to life for them as well as the more seasoned theatre audience.

Eric: James Andrews
Roger: Matt Connor
Sam: James Daley
Ralph: Andrew Falvey
Piggy: Jesse Inman
Jack: Alan Park
Simon: Mitesh Soni
Maurice: James Wooldridge

Director: Marcus Romer
Designer/Costume: Ali Allen, Marise Rose
Lighting: James Farncombe
Sound/Music: Sandy Nuttgens
Fight Director: Richard Ryan

2005-04-04 15:34:21