LORD OF THE FLIES
“It’s so refreshing to play a character who has agency and authority. I’ve never played the bad guy and I’ve never really got to use my strength or movement skills in a role before,” says Cardiff-born actress Kate Lamb (Call The Midwife), who has the honour of playing Lord Of The Flies’ power-hungry antagonist Jack. Her attitude and interest in the role is evidence that this new all-female production of William Golding’s 1954 classic will not disappoint viewers.
Co-produced by the Sherman Theatre and Theatr Clwyd in Mold, the production has caught the attention of many, including Lamb, who felt that the chance to play a dark and powerful character wasn’t something she could turn down. Even more so, given that this is the first time she’ll be playing a Welsh stage since youth theatre. Set in the not-too-distant future, the play follows the story of a group of evacuated schoolchildren on a remote island following a crash landing in their aeroplane. With no adults or authority, rules or reason, the boys abandon normality and gradually form a dark new society, which soon spins into a nightmarish hell as the audience witness their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. Civility is abandoned as the children become increasingly primitive the further they get from normality.
This adaptation’s direction will be by Emma Jordan, whilst the play’s themes of uncertainty in the world can easily seem all too familiar in the current political climate. “The idea of a world at war, the possibility that maybe we’re the only ones left – it holds up pretty well in 2018,” Lamb suggests.
This updated version of the all-male classic has proved its timelessness and relevance today. So, what does Kate Lamb hope the audience takes home from such a sobering production? “I want people to listen to each other, be kind, and not give in to fear. We always have a choice.” CHLOE EDWARDS
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Wed 17 Oct-Sat 3 Nov. Tickets: £10-£26. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermantheatre.co.uk