Revolution Farm
Inspired by George Orwell’s Animal Farm
In a brand new adaptation of Animal Farm, When Chaplin Met Gandhi writer James Kenworth takes Orwell’s classic satire
and gives it a fresh, contemporary twist, injecting its timeless tale of a revolution that went wrong with a gritty, urban,
in-yer-face language perfectly suited to one of London’s longest established and largest inner city farms.
Following the success of 2012’s When Chaplin Met Gandhi play which involved Newham school pupils acting alongside professional
actors, Community Links are proud to present this brand new and very special theatrical venture: George Orwell’s classic satire
of an animal uprising that went wrong - performed on an inner city farm!
Like When Chaplin Met Gandhi, Revolution Farm@City Farm is a unique collaboration between professional theatre artists and
young people in Newham, involving a professional writer, director, designer and actors working alongside students from Newham
schools and young actors from local youth groups/theatres.
“Revolution with an urban twist. Schoolchildren shine in re-imagining of Orwell's classic staged at City Farm.”
Adam Barnett, Newham Recorder
“A powerful update of Orwell's classic - Highly recommended”
Paul Taylor, The Independent
“A vibrant production that brings George Orwell's book bang up to date and makes it relevant for a younger generation.
The play is a really great collaboration between professional theatre makers, and young people from Newham. This combination
delivers Orwell's message with the insights of today's youth.
It made great use of the space moving the audience from location to location for each of the different scenes and utilising
the structures of the farm. A really clever device was locking the audience either inside or outside of the barn too and banging on
the walls and scenes of violence and revolution so that you could hear the screams and shouts and imagine the horrors of war.
The performances were slick and confident... this was a really great performance and well worth going to see.
Definitely a strong four out of five well worth the journey to Newham.”
Kate Woolgrove, everything theatre
"Top Ten Shows to See"
Time Out London
“The production's barn scene is particularly effective in setting the tone as a small group of animals plots, by torchlight,
to overthrow their cruel human captors - the farmers.
The production conveys the enduring importance of Orwell's story of education versus ignorance, and the rhetoric's power for
both good and evil; the enactment of the final reveal, here, is strong indeed.
Anita Butler, British Theatre Guide