Lord of the Flies Review

Lord of the Flies Review By Owain Denning, aged 16

If I could sum up in one word how I felt after seeing Lord of the Flies at The Courtyard last Friday 7 October 2016, it would simply be “Wow!”

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In a brutal tale of survival, the Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolchildren who have crash-landed on an uninhabited desert island after their plane (evacuating them from Britain during an unknown time of war) is shot down. Desperation soon sets in, followed by savagery, as each boy and girl tries to survive.

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There are two casts of Youth Theatre members for this production, playing alongside professional actors, Stanton Wright playing Ralph and Jamie Bacon playing Jack, both of whom were superb, as were the YT members who really raised their game! I watched Company B and in the light of the cast’s varying ages, I was very impressed by how they brought the piece to life in such a lively and gripping way including the build up of the bullying, the interaction between the two tribes etc.

Additionally, I would also like to commend the behind-the-scenes crew and designers who created an extremely atmospheric and realistic stage set and lighting that contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere. And, it was excellent to see how the cast were able to use the stage with the same props for every scene and still manage to make it seem like they were moving around the island. I felt completely engrossed in the performance, almost as if I was in the moment with them, as they acted out each scene.

 
3-Lord-of-the-Flies-Courtyard-Hereford-by-Luke-EvansI read the book a while ago and it is really interesting to see the breakdown of the foundations of a democratic society when faced with a primitive survival situation. When thinking about every action of every cast member I saw on stage, it is clear that company B properly brought this play to life – it felt like the original words had leapt off the pages and were dancing about the auditorium.

 

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To conclude, a wonderfully put together and fabulously acted performance, words cannot really express how glad I was to witness this production, because the intense performance put in by the two professionals, combined with the effort and dedication of the young YT members certainly made for an outstanding production that shouldn’t be missed!

So, no pressure Company A… I’m sure you’re all doing just as good as the simply amazing performance put on by company B and just wish I could see your version too!

Lord of the Flies is The Courtyard’s first production that showcases the best of our Youth Theatre talent along with professional actors. 6 – 15 October 2016.