By Graham Hiley.
Chichester Festival Theatre’s premiere of Lord of the Flies asks two key questions.
“Which is better – law and rescue or hunting and breaking things up? To have rules and agree – or hunt and kill like a pack of savages?”
The fact that William Golding’s classic novel is a core element of school study means most will instantly know it refers to the two rival gangs of teenage boys marooned on a desert island.
But Nigel Williams’ script and Anthony Lau’s skilful direction seem to give that dilemma a much more modern meaning with a deeper, darker undercurrent.
Those questions seem every bit as relevant in these dangerous times of the rise of the far right complete with a distrust of anyone perceived to be different or inferior.
That message comes through loud and clear in this pulsating production where the non-conformist group invent an enemy to provoke fear and then assert their “superiority” by picking on those unable to defend themselves while chanting hateful threats of violence. Sound familiar?
With no real scenery, it is largely left to the audience to imagine the setting which could just as well be outside a motel housing immigrants as an idyllic island with shouts of “That’s what you get for coming here!”
Similarly, the rebel group contains a gang of thugs easily led by a deeply despicable but charismatic and persuasive public schoolboy. Again, sound familiar?
And just to reinforce the message, the two main voices of reason are both black. And Alfie Jallow, who brilliantly plays Piggy, was the first openly trans person at RADA on the BA acting course.
Jallow graduated last year and already looks to have bright future on the evidence of this role. In the novel, Piggy is a loner and a loser – and a bit irritating with his constant demands for meetings. (Bosses take note!)
But here Jallow gives him an extra dimension portraying him as a believer in democracy and debate, traits which ultimately prevail but at great cost.
He is utterly convincing as a younger teen being bullied mercilessly by Jack, perfectly portrayed by Tucker St Ivany who is deliberately and intensely unlikeable as the posh public school snob – a case of Pig v Prig!
Piggy is eventually supported by Ralph who wavers at first, taken in by the charisma and false persona of Jack before reaching the conclusion that this alternative anarchy is nothing more than a destructive disease.
The portrayal of Ralph is a triumph for Sheyi Cole making a very promising professional theatre debut, his voice laced with passion and clarity.
Backed up by a talented and youthful ensemble, the trio capture a claustrophobic sense of anger and angst, of paranoia and fear and mistrust as they power the play through to a conclusion which, intentionally, leaves as many questions as answers – again reflecting the modern split in society and the moral dilemmas we face.
It is a grim watch at times and the effective use of lighting and sound creates some genuinely jumpy moments while the sprinkler system spraying fake blood requires a major clean-up at the interval.
But then Piggy does warn the audience beforehand that the play contains prejudice, body-shaming, racism, murder, violence, stage blood and death. Enjoy the show!
Lord of the Flies runs at Chichester Festival Theatre until October 11, tickets available here: www.cft.org.uk.
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