A plane load of refugees fleeing the effects of war crashes onto an uninhabited desert island. The only survivors are a group of children, the oldest among them only in their early teens. In the absence of adults the children try to organize themselves to wait for rescue, as tales of a beast lurking in the dark start spreading. As time passes the darker side of humanity begins to emerge as the children battle against the beast. But is the beast real, or is it just a dark part of the human heart?

All the actors are worthy of note, playing their parts well and flowing with the action around them. In particular, Michiel van Echten’s Ralph beautifully shows the journey the young confident natural leader takes as his world slowly crumbles around him. Ella Hope-Higginson does a great job capturing the bossy, faintly power hungry Jack, desperately clinging to the leadership she has usurped. And Leighton Stichbury’s Piggy is a delight, funny, likable, a little naive. It is his voice that is the voice of democracy and he makes an excellent foil for Ralph. Also worthy of mention are Comfrey Sanders’ misunderstood Simon, and Nathan Mudge’s psychopathic Roger.

The set, designed by Theo Wijnsma, is amazing: a real beach with rocky outcrops sweeping from one side of the theatre to the other. There is also a slightly creepy prop suspended above part of the audience, making the audience part of the stage, rather than set apart from it. The action takes place in several locations, meaning that the audience does not have to spend too long staring in the same direction.

Working in the traverse is hard, and sight lines can be an issue where tall set pieces are involved. This show does a good job of dealing with this difficult layout, making the stage feel bigger than it is. The set and costumes also change to mark the passage of time, which is a really nice touch.

The set and costumes also change to mark the passage of time, which is a really nice touch. Costuming (by Hayley Douglas) consists of school uniforms that slowly degrade overtime, blurring the lines between the tribes. The lighting (designed by Talya Pilche is simple, using basic changes to mark the passage of time, or a fire. There is also the judicial use of a smoke machine. Josh Finegan’s sound design augments the action effectively.

Many of us will have indifferent memories of the book after studying it at high school. But this production rises above that to present a strongly acted, enthralling piece of theatre that is well worth a trip out in the cold for.

The Lord of the Flies was originally written by William Golding in 1954. This adaptation for the stage by Nigel Williams was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1996. 

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