I thought the production was superb, acting fantastic and the set was amazing. All the actors were brilliant and Alistair Toovey was particularly spectaular. A BRILLIANT PRODUCTION! - TO
22 Jun 11
Like most people I studied Lord of the Flies at school rather than read it for pleasure but a gap of thirtysomething years made a trip to the park seem worthwhile. The first impression is of Jon Bausor's ingenious and detailed design which is so well integrated into the setting that it's almost impossible to visualise where the stage used to be. The acting skills of the young cast are variable - Alistair Toovey as Ralph is by far the best - and the sound system fluctuates. Golding's story of a group of boys descending into gang-based savagery seems trite nowadays and the play is far too long and repetitive; it would have had more impact at 90 minutes straight through. - David Baxter
17 Jun 11
Blooming brilliant! Will go again. Stunning production. - PG
27 May 11
A poor uninspired production that has the essence of amateur dramatics. A wonderful set but totally unsuited to the piece poorly cast and unnecessarily updated. Extremely disappointed..... - David Hawcroft
26 May 11
This production certainly looks impressive but it is only really in the (far stronger and far shorter) second half that this adaptation catches the sense of horror that Golding's superb book evokes. Repeatedly I find that Timothy Sheader's productions start off with a handsome stage picture but then lose focus through sloppy, undistinguished staging. He is not helped here by some stilted and amateurish acting, save only for Alistair Toovey's increasingly desperate and genuinely moving Ralph. - ajh
26 May 11
The Open Air Theatre’s new artistic director, Timothy Sheader, has always made his intentions to move this lovely venue on from it’s long-standing ‘Three Shakespeare’s and Musical’ formula very clear. Last year he gave us a chilling ‘The Crucible’ which proved how great drama can work in this space. He also seems to be thinking more about what shows suit the venue and last year’s Into The Woods was a perfect choice. Now we have Lord of the Flies doing both – another drama which works well in a space which is nigh on perfect for the play.
The stage is a beach where the remains of a plane crash are strewn – the fusilage spewing luggage and a wing in the trees. There’s an engine in the bushes bordering the beach and another in the auditorium. Smoke still emanates from the wreckage; this crash has just happened. It’s a stunning design by Jon Bausor (who created the extraordinary Kursk at the Young Vic) which uses the space brilliantly. You’re impressed before a word is spoken.
Nigel Williams’ adaptation is a little flawed, mostly because he rushes the first part, getting to the descent into savagery too quickly. Though it might be a little slow for a young audience, showing how the power struggles unfold and the first reaction of children to a world without grown-ups seems to me to be a crucial part of the explanation of the decline. Otherwise it’s faithful to the book, with a little updating such that we can’t be in the second world war (which I think is what William Golding intended) and the arrival of a helicopter rather than a plane at the end, which made more sense.
There is fine acting from a very young company who look every bit the age of their characters. The movement (co-director Liam Steel and fight director Kate Waters) adds much to the effectiveness of the staging. There’s also music and a soundscape by Nick Powell & Mike Walker which makes a big contribution to creating atmosphere and driving the story forward.
I studied the book for something that used to be called ‘O’ level many centuries ago; if only we could have seen a thrilling interpretation like this, I might have done better than my mediocre Grade 4! - Gareth James
