Paul Johnson | 10 Sep 2021 19:05pm
BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF GEORGE ORWELL’S SATIRICAL MASTERPIECE ANIMAL FARM
CASTING, TOUR DATES & VENUES ANNOUNCED... ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED & MULTI AWARD-WINNING ROBERT ICKE
Report ContentWITH DESIGNS BY BUNNY CHRISTIE & PUPPETRY BY TOBY OLIÉ
RUNNING FROM 22 JANUARY – 28 MAY 2022
PRESENTED BY THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE PARTNERSHIP
IN ASSOCIATION WITH BIRMINGHAM REP
Full casting and the complete tour schedule are announced for the highly anticipated upcoming production of George Orwell’s classic satirical fable, Animal Farm, adapted and directed by the multi award-winning Robert Icke (The Doctor, Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Oresteia, 1984).
The brand-new production will embark on an extensive UK tour, opening at Birmingham Rep from 22 January 2022, with press night on Wednesday 2 February. The play then tours to Cambridge, Newcastle, Bath, Norwich, Salford, Plymouth, Nottingham, Coventry, Blackpool, Liverpool, Canterbury, Richmond and Wolverhampton, completing its run on 28 May 2022 at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre.
The cast of Animal Farm includes Matt Churcher, Darcy Collins, Enrico D. Wey, Ailsa Dalling, Elisa De Grey, Edie Edmundson, Michael Jean-Marain, Rayo Patel, Yana Penrose, Markus Schabbing, Sharon Sze, Ben Thompson and Matt Tait.
The production also combine the forces of some of UK theatre’s most talented creatives, including designs by the four-time Olivier Award-winning Bunny Christie (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Company, Ink, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), and puppetry by Toby Olié (War Horse, Running Wild, The Grinning Man, Goodnight Mister Tom).
The animals of Manor Farm drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves.
A revolution. And then what? Then freedom. Every animal will be free.
Old Major, the prize boar, calls the animals of Manor Farm together.
He has had a strange dream of a better future.
George Orwell’s world-famous, biting political novel was first published in 1945 and tells the story of a revolution and its aftermath. Re-imagined by an award-winning creative team, Animal Farm is a dynamic, daring and contemporary take on a timeless story.
Icke previously worked on another of Orwell’s classics, 1984, which he co-adapted and directed alongside Duncan Macmillan, garnering him his first Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play in 2014, enjoying smash-hit runs in both the West End and on Broadway. Animal Farm also reunites Icke and Christie following their celebrated 2016 collaboration on The Red Barn at the National Theatre.
The production is produced by Children’s Theatre Partnership (CTP) in association with Birmingham Rep. CTP creates bold and imaginative theatre for young people, engaging new audiences and aiming to inspire a life-long love of theatre.
ANIMAL FARM
By George Orwell
Adapted & Directed by Robert Icke
Set & Costume Designs by Bunny Christie
Puppetry Designs & Direction by Toby Olié
Produced by Children’s Theatre Partnership in association with Birmingham Rep
Press Night: Wednesday 2 February @ 7pm – Birmingham Rep
Website: animalfarmonstage.co.uk | childrenstheatrepartnership.co.uk
DATES
- Birmingham Repertory Theatre birmingham-rep.co.uk
22 January – 05 February 202 0121 236 4455
- Cambridge Arts Theatre cambridgeartstheatre.com
08 February – 12 February 2022 01223 503333
- Newcastle Theatre Royal theatreroyal.co.uk
22 February – 26 February 2022 08448 11 21 21
- Bath Theatre Royal theatreroyal.org.uk
01 March – 05 March 2022 01225 448844
- Norwich Theatre norwichtheatre.org
08 March – 12 March 2022 01603 630 000
- Salford Lowry thelowry.com
22 March – 26 March 2022 0343 208 6000
- Plymouth Theatre Royal theatreroyal.com
29 March – 02 April 2022 01752 267222
- Nottingham Theatre Royal trch.co.uk
05 April – 09 April 2022 0115 989 5555
- Coventry Belgrade Theatre belgrade.co.uk
12 April – 16 April 2022 024 7655 3055
- Blackpool Grand Theatre blackpoolgrand.co.uk
19 April – 23 April 2022 01253 290 190
- Liverpool Playhouse everymanplayhouse.com
26 April – 30 April 2022 0151 709 4776
- Canterbury Marlowe Theatre marlowetheatre.com
03 May – 07 May 2022 01227 787787
- Richmond Theatre atgtickets.com/venue/richmond
10 May – 14 May 0844 871 7615
- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre grandtheatre.co.uk
17 May – 21 May 2022 01902 42 92 12
- Bromley Churchill Theatre churchilltheatre.co.uk
24 May – 28 May 2022 020 3285 6000