★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Hollie

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

Caution: This show depicts the themes of war, colonialism, and tribalism. Two characters are violently killed in the show and both of those characters are disabled. The blood displayed in the show is fake blood.

A diverse depiction of desperation, despair and disappointment!

In this new adaptation of William Golding’s novel, Leeds Playhouse and the Belgrade Theatre bring together a diverse youth theatre cast for this modern retelling of the classic novel Lord of the Flies. In recent years Netflix audiences have been mesmerised by programmes set in dystopian worlds such as The Walking Dead, Stranger Things and The Hunger Games. This adaptation has the same thrills and themes that those audiences have grown to love.

The varied audience of students, teenagers and adults were lively and excitable with anticipation before the show began. The stage is set with an array of palm trees and the cymbals sound to signal the start of the drama and despair.

A collection of children have landed on a deserted island amongst the wreckage of their aeroplane. But why are the children there? Where have they come from? How will they get home?

From the minute the children enter the stage, they take us back to our school days with the teasing, name-calling and boisterous behaviour. The ensemble of nine actors perform naturally with each other and immerse you in the story as if you are on the island too.

Throughout the show the cast use sign language to communicate with each other. Sign language was very cleverly used to emphasise certain words throughout. The use of sign language meant that the audience had to pick up on body language cues and provided the audience with their own level of vulnerability whilst watching the performance.

The main protagonists Ralph and Jack are introduced as opposing sides of the pack with Patrick Dineen playing Jack, the obnoxious prefect and Ralph, played by Angela Jones, as the natural-born leader. The children have to decide which side of the tribe to be on as the children begin to navigate their new life. Do they need to hold a meeting? Do they need rules? The children have to decide between their wants and needs as they clash against each other with their different personalities whilst hoping for rescue.

The scenery and lighting remain the same throughout the show but the scenery is also a character in the story. The scenery changes subtly throughout the show to symbolise the changes in character, this allows for the focus to be on the acting throughout the performance and what a performance the cast provides!

The collaboration between Leeds Playhouse and The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry means that different actors have been brought together from different localities and this provides the performance with an authentic edge. Amy Leach as Deputy Artistic Director has led the cast really well in this 21st Century masterpiece.

New characters are introduced throughout the first act in order to add new dimensions to the story. My particular favourite was Perceval, played by John Carter, who became a metaphor for how the audience were feeling - frightened and lost.

We’re not savages you know! That is exactly what the children become!

During the interval I overheard the students behind me discussing the metaphors and symbolism that the show was full of. The audience was very enthusiastic about this modern retelling!

Good versus evil.

Obey versus disobey.

Chief versus leader.

The portrayal of rebellion, villains and tension between the tribes races towards a crescendo in the second act. Are they out of the woods yet?

Lord of the Flies continues at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry until 29th April. Lord of the Flies then plays its final performances at The Northern Stage in Newcastle-upon-Tyne until Saturday 6th May 2023.

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