Animal Farm SKINNYFest 3

This production of Animal Farm is confused, irrelevant and misleading. Quite an achievement when you consider that it has at its heart a stunning and admirable performance by Gary Shelford, who plays all the parts and commands the stage for almost two hours without interruption. No, the credit for this mess must go to Guy Masterson who has adapted George Orwell's fable for theatre. By inserting cheap contemporary references he not only waters down the original meanings but risks letting off those modern politicians who he is trying to attack. Blair receives the greatest attention. But he is represented – in the most implausible way – by Snowball (Trotsky – the idealist!), who is run-off the post-revolutionary Stalinist farm and then characterised by Napoleon as a terrorist responsible for the attack on the windmill – which is now 9/11. This baffling allegory is damaging because it makes it impossible for the audience to focus their feelings of betrayal and injustice on the target. Ultimately, Masterson fudges it disgracefully, asking us not to identify Blair with Stalin because that would, of course, be ridiculous.