Pigs on stilts: All you need to know before you see Animal Farm at Perth Theatre

Animal Farm isn’t a new story, but Orwell’s famous fable proved its 2025 relevance in this adaptation.

Here’s all you need to know as Napoleon and Squealer take over Perth Theatre:

What is it?

Bolton Octagon Theatre’s production of George Orwell’s famous 1945 fable Animal Farm, now on tour around the country, in which the irresponsible and uncaring Mr Jones, owner of Manor Farm, dies and his animals are left in control of their own destiny.

Following the teachings of the wise elder pig Old Major – a great character effect in which actor Natalia Campbell is surrounded and swamped by her fellow actors to create a gargantuan physical frame – the animals attempt to build themselves a better life together on the rechristened Animal Farm.

Yet when Old Major dies and his younger proteges Snowball (Soroosh Lavasani) and Napoleon (Rhian Lynch) attempt to put his maxim that “all animals are equal” into action, the latter institutes a creeping takeover in which the domineering pigs demonstrate how some animals are infamously more equal than others.

Come for:

Back in 1945 Orwell was writing about the Soviet Union and Stalin’s rise, but other dictatorships are sadly always available.

Directed by Iqbal Khan with energy and a sense of dark, cynical humour, this version of the play really brings out the ongoing relevance of Orwell’s work.

There’s also an interesting Scottish connection theatre here, which stalwarts of the stage in this country might appreciate.

This adaptation was written by playwright Ian Wooldridge way back in 1982 and first performed by the TAG Theatre Company at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre, and it hasn’t dated.

Stay for:

Ciarán Bagnall’s evocatively dystopian set and lighting design: a raised, murkily-lit platform surrounded by rotating corrugated panels on which the egalitarian rules of Animal Farm are written in neon ink, and constantly scrawled over and amended as the pigs’ reign intensifies.

Su Newell’s costume designs fit beautifully with this backdrop, a series of neon-greased blue overalls and prosthetic animal heads atop the actors’ own heads.

Napoleon and her slimy henchman Squealer (Lewis Griffin) are literally elevated above the herd at the end on stilts, a two-legged cardinal sin for animals which they’re now powerful enough to disregard.

Olivia Chandler and Sam Black complete the ensemble with strong performances, and if Orwell’s well-known story has lost some of its ability to shock and surprise over the decades, this production still makes it feel as current as possible.

Avoid if:

Your mind is full of enough dystopian imagery thanks to doomscrolling through social media 24/7.

Animal Farm is at Perth Theatre until Saturday March 29.