Animal Farm, The Sequel – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio, London

Writer and Director: Ana Isabel González

George Orwell’sAnimal Farmfamously warned of revolutions becoming indistinguishable from the oppressions they topple.Animal Farm, The Sequel, a new play, modernises that classic cautionary tale, pitching the pigs of the original into an election year marked by addictive drugs, scapegoating, and political deceit.

The story opens with a scene between a family of three – a resolute mare, a practical donkey, and their daughter, a mule. Right away, we see that the family’s harmony is ruptured by the daughter’s addiction to a drug the pigs have cleverly introduced to the farm, leaving the mule’s parents worried but helpless. This drug, we discover, is destroying not only their well-being but the very soil the animals depend on – a dark mirror to Orwell’s themes, now layered with concerns about dependency and ecological degradation. Yet few, besides the mare, seem willing to see the damage, caught up in the pigs’ promises of prosperity.

In the farm’s political arena, the pigs deliberate over which of them will stand in the election. They settle on a practical, if cynical, approach: promises of cheaper drugs and easier access – a strategy to keep the animals hooked and, therefore, controlled. But the landowners, those animals who haven’t succumbed to porcine pressure, find their own candidate in the mare, who runs on a platform of organic practices. A clash of ideals ensues between the pigs’ drug-fuelled dependence and the mare’s vision of sustainability.

It’s in the election itself, though, thatAnimal Farm, The Sequelreally hits its stride. In a moment of betrayal, one pig turns on another, and the incumbent stokes fears about the rats, blaming them for all the farm’s woes. This diversion echoes Orwell’s knack for scapegoating as a tool of power, with the pigs fanning the flames of xenophobia and presenting the rats as an enemy within. The incumbent ultimately wins by manipulating the rules – a clever jab at the way democratic structures can be twisted to favour the powerful.

Animal Farm, The Sequel is a bold script, infusing Orwell’s story with fresh urgency. The writing is sharp, laden with dark humour and shrewd allegory, connecting seamlessly with modern anxieties. The direction sometimes undercuts the script’s bite but, for the most part, does it justice. The performances are good on the whole, but the standout performer is Kimberley Ellis as the Mare. Their portrayal is the heart of the piece, rooting the satire in a sense of loss and betrayal that resonates well beyond the final act.

Despite its minor shortcomings,Animal Farm, The Sequelis a great reimagining that captures Orwell’s bleak prophecy in a form eerily suited to our current era. While not flawless, its message strikes with clarity, confronting us with the uncomfortable truth that history’s lessons are all too often ignored.

Runs until 9 November 2024