Review – Animal Farm

I’ll admit that I was entirely dubious about a one-man show of a story entirely about animals – the logistics just seemed too complicated to be a success. But Guy Masterson’s solo take on Orwell’s classic Animal Farm quelled those doubts within minutes.

Masteron is an incredibly talented performer. Through the use of clever and simple changes in his body language, such as a closed fist indicating a pig’s hoof, he was not only able to suggest successfully to the audience a wide range of different animals present, but also give each of them depth of character. Each pig, while clearly a pig, was also able to be an individual – it was never difficult for the audience to tell characters apart, which, in a one-man show is a total triumph, especially without the assistance of any costuming. Often, Masterson also adopted the role of a narrator, which added a level of humour to the play and allowed him to connect more easily with his audience. The narrator’s dialogue often evoked dramatic irony, Masterson sharing something with the audience that the animal characters did not yet understand.

He also manages to connect the ideas and themes of Animal Farm to present day, through brilliant use of sound clips and references from the narrator. These subtle references made the story much more relevant to the audience without having to transplant the entire story to present day.

Animal Farm is simply astonishing and will leave the audience thoughtful, as well as in awe of Masterson’s constant energy and brilliance as a performer. Masterson brings this classic tale back to life and reminds us that, unfortunately, its messages of an overpowering government are possibly even more relevant today.