Animal Farm by George Orwell Created by shake & stir theatre co Adapted for the stage by Nick Skubij

A Playlab Publication

Contents Publication and Copyright Information

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About shake & stir theatre co

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Creators Notes 6 First Production Details 7 Characters / Notes 8 Animal Farm 9

Publication and Copyright Information Performance Rights Any performance or public reading of any text in this volume is forbidden unless a license has been received from the author or the author’s agent. The purchase of this book in no way gives the purchaser the right to perform the play in public, whether by means of a staged production or as a reading. Inquiries concerning performance rights, publication, translation or recording rights should be addressed to: Playlab, PO Box 3701, South Brisbane B.C, Qld 4101. Email: [email protected] Copyright This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of study, research or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. For education purposes the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of this book, whichever is greater to be copied, but only if the institution or educator is covered by a Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) licence. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above. Copy Licences To print copies of this work, purchase a Copy Licence from the reseller from whom you originally bought or directly from Playlab at the address above. These Licences grant the right to print up to thirty copies. Sale of this publication is strictly limited to Australia only. Animal Farm by Geroge Orwell. Created by shake & stir theatre co. Adapted for the stage by Nick Skubij. First published August 2012 General Editor: Alana Tierney Proof Reader: Katherine Lyall Watson Cover design: shake & stir theatre co. Animal Farm © shake & stir theatre co. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: Catalogue in publication George Orwell — 1903 – 1950 shake & stir theatre co. — 2006 Nick Skubij — 1983 1. Animal Farm ISBN: 9781921390142

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Animal Farm

About shake & stir Established in 2006, shake & stir has become one of Australia’s leading contemporary youth theatre companies. shake & stir theatre co currently produce a season of 11 in-school productions. The repertoire includes adaptations of Shakespeare’s most popular works, a program of moral-based performances targeting key issues affecting youth and a primary school season including the first in-schools production introducing Shakespeare to primary students. Each of shake & stir theatre co’s productions are accredited by Education Queensland and are compiled by a team of young theatre professionals with a passion for creating and sharing inspiring theatre with young people. In addition to a busy annual touring schedule, shake & stir has a thriving after school drama program reaching approx 300 students at both primary and secondary levels across Brisbane. Like their in-school performances, shake & stir drama classes are dynamic, fast paced, youthful and inspiring. A recent addition to the menu of offerings at shake & stir theatre co is the main stage production department. shake & stir theatre co produce an annual season of main stage productions, designed for national touring. These productions target the young and the young at heart and engage audiences to a degree only possible in a live theatre space. Past productions include Statespeare (Helpmann Award nomination, 2012) and the first Australian adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Both Statespeare and Animal Farm undertook extensive national tours. In August 2012, shake & stir produced a brand-new Australian adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. This production played a sold out season at The Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. shake & stir theatre co is a privately owned company, co-founded by Ross Balbuziente, Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij. Mission: To motivate, educate & relate to youth via an infectious enthusiasm for the live arts.

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Creators Notes “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” — Mahatma Gandhi Animal Farm is a work that has been praised, banned, criticized, continually adapted and studied over the years and its potency remains intact. This infamous story chronicling the journey of three ambitious pigs, a collection of farmers with terrible attitudes and a mish-mash assortment of farmyard animals, each struggling to fit into society is certainly entertaining, but is not without its fair share of theatrical challenges. How does a cast of 5 take on the roles of a farm full of animals? And just how does an actor play an animal playing a human? These are questions that we have had a ridiculously good time addressing in rehearsals. We took on the task of adapting Animal Farm not only with great respect for the legacy Orwell left behind, but with a burning desire to update and bring it screaming into the present. We are proud to be the young Australian theatre company who took on the challenge of adapting this novel and it’s inherent challenges first hand. This production is also the first time the company has joined forces with QPAC. It has been a pleasure to produce with QLD’s premier performing arts venue and we thank the team at QPAC for their dedicated support. A big thank-you to our creative team – we are humbled to have such a talented crew join us and we especially thank Michael Futcher for his tireless guidance. We hope you enjoy your time on the farm and we hope that through our production, we have done out little bit to keep Orwell’s words alive and kicking for a new herd of theatre goers. Pig in - it’s time to get dirty! Ross Balbuziente, Nelle Lee & Nick Skubij Artistic Directors shake & stir theatre co.

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Animal Farm

First Production Details Animal Farm by George Orwell Created by shake & stir theatre co. Adapted for the stage by Nick Skubij 23 August–2 September 2011 Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Cast BOXER, PILKINGTON SNOWBALL, BENJAMIN MOLLIE, CLOVER SQUEALER, OLD MAJOR NAPOLEON, JONES

Ross Balbuziente Dan Crestani Nelle Lee Bryan Probets Nick Skubij

Production Team ADAPTOR Nick Skubij DIRECTOR Michael Futcher DESIGNER Josh McIntosh LIGHTING DESIGNER Jason Glenwright SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER Guy Webster DRAMATURG Michael Futcher QPAC PRODUCER Cristian Pilditch STAGE MANAGER Ben Shaw ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Fiona McKeon PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Tom Oliver PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Paris Croaker MAKE-UP CONSULTANT Alex Ouston EDUCATION LIAISON Heidi Irvine PHOTOGRAPHY Justine Walpole

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Characters NAPOLEON

A pig who emerges as the leader of Animal Farm

SNOWBALL

A pig who challenges Napoleon for control

SQUEALER

A pig who spreads Napoleon’s propaganda

BOXER

A hardworking cart-horse

CLOVER

A cart-horse and friend to Boxer

OLD MAJOR

The boar who inspired the Rebellion

MOLLIE

A mare who pulled Mr Jones’s carriage

BENJAMIN

A donkey who is uninspired by the rebellion

MR JONES

The farmer who ran the Manor Farm

MR PILKINGTON

A neighboring farmer

Notes Notes on dialogue: •

A slash / at the end of a line indicates the dialogue is shared with the following character.

•

A dash – at the end of a line indicates the dialogue is interrupted.

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Animal Farm

Animal Farm “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” — Mahatma Gandhi.

SCENE ONE — The following image is partly visible by flashes of lightning or in partial silhouette to get a surreal feel. Shadowy image of an animal being dragged onto its back by a couple of humans, a rope tied around its legs. It screams and tries to get up but is forced onto its back. It is beaten cruelly and then slaughtered – clumsily, painfully, slowly. A terrible scream. The scream turns into thunder. The animal is winched up by the legs, and hangs, inert. One of the humans staggers away from the scene of carnage with a bottle, singing faintly, silhouetted against the stormy sky. All goes quiet except for an ominous distant roll of thunder. Animal faces are seen in a tight shaft of light, listening, terrified, alert. One by one they emerge out of the shadows, cautiously. They address the audience: N1

This is the story of a rebellion /

N2

/ That began one stormy night at Manor Farm /

N3

/ Word had gone around during the day that Old Major, the prize Middle White Boar, had had a strange dream /

N1

/ And wished to communicate it to the other animals …

N2

The animals had all agreed to meet in the big barn as soon as Mr Jones, the farmer, was safely out of the way.

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N3

As soon as the light in the bedroom went out, there was a stirring and fluttering from all the farm buildings.

N2

Before long, all of the animals began to enter the barn.

N1

First came the three dogs

N3

Then the sheep

N1&2

The horses

N5

The donkey

N4

The cow

N2

The cat

N1

And of course …

ALL

The pigs. Thunderclap

N3

Old Major was twelve years old /

N1

/ and had grown rather stout /

N3

/ but was still a majestic looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance / N3 becomes Old Major

OLD MAJOR

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Comrades! I do not think that I will be with you for very much longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on the wisdom that I have acquired. Now comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? We are born, given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength. And when we lose our strength, we are slaughtered, with hideous cruelty. To this horror we all must come – cows, pigs, hens, sheep – all.

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Animal Farm

OLD MAJOR

But is this simply part of nature? No. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses, twenty cows, hundreds of sheep – and all of them living in a comfort and dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? The answer is summed up in a single word – Man. Remove man and the root cause of hunger and overwork is removed forever. Man is the only animal that consumes without producing. Yet, he is king of all the animals. Our labour works the fields, our dung fertilizes it, and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin. What then must we do? Work night and day, body and soul for the overthrow of the human race. That is my message to you, comrades. Rebellion! This resolution must not falter. No argument must lead you astray. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes on four legs or has wings is a friend. And remember that when fighting against man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when he is conquered, do not adopt his vices. No animal must live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, touch money or engage in trade. And above all. No animal must ever kill another animal. All animals are equal. And now comrades, I will tell you of my dream last night. Many years ago, when I was a little pig my mother and the other sows used to sing an old song of which they knew only the tune and the first three words. I had known it in my infancy, but last night, in my dream, the tune came flooding back to me.

Sings.

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tidings, Of the golden future time.



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OLD MAJOR

Soon or late the day is coming, Tyrant man shall be o’erthrown, And the fruitful fields of England, Shall be trod by beasts alone.



Rings shall vanish from our noses, And the harness from our back, Bit and spur shall rust forever, Cruel whips no more shall crack. The animals all join in and sing. Gradually, all the animals in the stable are singing, some tunefully, some completely out. Over time, the song becomes louder and discordant.

JONES

You dirty mongrel beasts … QUIT YA CARRYING ON! The sound of a gunshot rings out interrupting the singing. The animals scatter. More thunder.

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Animal Farm

SCENE TWO — OLD MAJOR

Three nights later, Old Major died in his sleep.

N1

And his body was buried at the foot of the orchard.

N2

During the next three months, there was much secret activity on the farm. Old Major’s speech had motivated the more intelligent animals to prepare for revolution.

N1

The work of teaching and organising fell naturally on the pigs /

N2

/ who were generally recognised as being the cleverest of the animals.

SNOWBALL

[Ushering animals to the barn] This way, comrades!

N1

At the forefront were two young boars named Napoleon and Snowball …

SNOWBALL

[To animals] Not all at once comrades or Jones will see us!

N1

Snowball was more vivacious than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive /

N3

/ but was not considered to have the same depth of character.

N1

The pigs held many secret meetings in the barn, and elaborated Old Major’s speech into a complete system of thought.

SNOW/NAPOLEON Animalism. ALL Animalism. SNOWBALL

At first, they were met with much apathy and stupidity from the animals.

ANIMAL 1

But Jones feeds us! If it weren’t for him we’d starve to death!

ANIMAL 2

When we’re dead, why should we care about what happens?

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NAPOLEON

But the stupidest question of all came from Mollie, the white mare who pulled Jones’s cart.

MOLLIE

Will there still be sugar after the rebellion?

NAPOLEON

Absolutely not.

SNOWBALL

We can’t make sugar on this farm and we will never buy it from the humans. But you will have all the oats you need.

MOLLIE

And can I still wear ribbons in my mane?

SNOWBALL

Mollie, those ribbons that you wear are the chains of slavery. Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than ribbons?

MOLLIE

I suppose so.

N3

The most faithful disciples of the pigs’ teachings were the two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover.

BOXER

Boxer was as strong as any two ordinary horses put together, and although he was not of first-rate intelligence /

N3

/ a white stripe down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance /

BOXER

/ he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers of work.

CLOVER

Clover was a stout motherly mare, approaching middle life /

N3

/ who’d never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal. Clover whinnies …

SNOWBALL

Both were unfailing in their attendance of the secret meetings.

BOXER/CLOVER [Sung] Clover, beans and mangel wurzels, Shall be ours upon that day.

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