Preview: Animal Farm at Newcastle People’s Theatre

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Newcastle People’s Theatre

Tuesday 12th - Saturday 16th September 2017

adapted by Peter Hall

with lyrics by Adrian Mitchell and music by Richard Peaslee

The new Season of plays at People’s Theatre begins with George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm oust their cruel and drunken master, it seems a new age of peace, prosperity, and collective zeal has dawned. All animals are equal!

But all too soon the dream turns to a nightmare as a new order emerges.

Since its publication in 1946, Orwell’s fable of a workers’ revolution gone wrong has been recognised as a masterpiece of modern political satire. Originally intended as an allegorical attack on Stalin’s dictatorship of the Soviet Union, Animal Farm has stood the test of time and still rings very true as the early 21st century witnesses a wave of resurgent populism.

As a novel, it set the world thinking about the meaning of revolution. Adapted for the stage, that revolution is brought vividly to life, and given extra poignancy through the songs and music by Adrian Mitchell and Richard Peaslee.

“Four legs good; two legs ba-a-ad...!”

While the political message of Animal Farm is universal, the farmyard setting gives it a curiously British feel. Orwell ironically referred to his tale of talking animals as “a fairy story”, but the underlying truths it represents are all too real.

Like their critically acclaimed production of More Light earlier this year, this is a co-production with our talented Young People's Theatre. Over the years, our youth group has been a training ground for such talent as film star Andrea Riseborough and comedian Ross Noble who has recently been entertaining audiences in Young Frankenstein.

Tickets

Animal Farm runs from Tuesday 12^thto Saturday 16^th September 2017 at 7.30pm

Tickets are £13.50 (Concessions £11) and are available from the box office on 0191 265 5020
or online at their website: www.peoplestheatre.co.uk