A NEW ADVENTURES AND RE:BOURNE PRODUCTION

TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 1 1. USING THIS RESOURCE PACK p3

2. WILLIAM GOLDING’S NOVEL p4

William Golding and Lord of the Flies Novel’s Plot Characters Themes and Symbols

3. NEW ADVENTURES AND RE:BOURNE’S LORD OF THE FLIES p11

An Introduction By Matthew Bourne Production Research Some Initial Ideas Plot Sections Similarities and Differences

4. PRODUCTION ELEMENTS p21

Set and Costume Costume Supervisor Music Lighting

5. PRACTICAL WORKSHEETS p26

General Notes Character Devising and Developing Movement

6. REFLECTING AND REVIEWING p32

Reviewing live performance Reviews and Editorials for New Adventures and Re:Bourne’s Production of Lord of the Flies

7. FURTHER WORK p32

Did You Know? It’s An Adventure Further Reading Essay Questions References Contributors

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 2 1. USING THIS RESOURCE PACK

This pack aims to give teachers and students further understanding of New Adventures and Re:Bourne’s production of Lord of the Flies. It contains information and materials about the production that can be used as a stimulus for written work, discussion and practical activities. There are worksheets containing information and resources that can be used to help build your own lesson plans and schemes of work based on Lord of the Flies. This pack contains subject material for Dance, Drama, English, Design and Music.

Discussion and/or Evaluation Ideas

Research and/or Further Reading Activities

Practical Tasks

Written Work

The symbols above are to guide you throughout this pack easily and will enable you to use this guide as a quick reference when required. They will appear through the pack as symbols highlighting further work that can be done. There are also a number of related activities, practical exercises and discussion ideas that can be used to develop ideas, workshops and as a starting point on which to use for your own course requirements.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 3 2. WILLIAM GOLDING’S NOVEL William Golding and Lord of the Flies William Golding was born in Newquay, Cornwall, on 19 September 1911. He was nearly three at the outbreak of the First World War, and his childhood memories of that conflict were powerful. His father was a science teacher at the grammar school in the small Wiltshire town of Marlborough, and Golding and his brother were pupils there. Both became schoolteachers too. In Lord of the Flies, the severed pig’s head - the Lord of the Flies - speaks to Simon “in the voice of a schoolmaster”. Golding had often heard that voice, and he had produced it as well. He knew its ambiguity. As a child, Golding - always known as Bill or Billy - was imaginative, affectionate, musical and, it seems, pugnacious. He recounts in an autobiographical essay ‘Billy the Kid’ that he looked forward to going to school because it “was to bring me fights”. He finds that, surprisingly, the other boys don’t want to fight all the time. So he provokes them. But this incurs a cost: to his astonishment he realises “They don’t like me!”

Leaving school in the summer of 1930, Golding went to ■ WILLIAM GOLDING Brasenose College, Oxford, to study natural sciences. The September 1939, just after the outbreak of the Second World experience soon palled. Oxford seemed outrageously War, and their marriage lasted till his death. He wrote in his snobbish, and he became bored with the work. At school, journal of their happiness together; he believed that without science had been taught by his father, a gifted teacher, her he would not have written anything. who turned it into a string of wonderful stories. At Oxford, Golding found it boring and distasteful. Two years later, he A year after their marriage, their first child was born, a son. found the courage to tell his far-from-wealthy parents that Golding, the pugnacious Billy, now cared profoundly about he wanted to change to English. They generously agreed to the future of those he loved. Four months later, he went into fund Golding for two more years. He graduated with a good the navy. The war changed him forever. He saw much to blow degree. That October, 1934, Macmillan published a book of apart his father’s hopeful ideas of human advancement. He his poetry. He was 23. saw that humans did not just kill for survival; it was what they did by nature. For the next couple of years, Golding lived in London. He tried acting, playing the piano, writing and even - a His two years of science at Oxford took Golding out of last desperate measure - teaching. In 1937, he returned fighting and into a weapons-research establishment. to Oxford to get a teaching diploma. In the autumn of There, he saw how ingenious people became, and how far 1938, he took a job teaching English, drama and music the patriotic task removed people’s sense of the enemy’s at Maidstone Grammar School in Kent. He had absorbed humanity. He saw that intelligence and education did not his father’s socialism, and, despite hating the glibness impede this - quite the reverse. When he returned to active of some of the socialists he met, he stayed on the left, service, he himself fought with ruthlessness, daring and politically, for the rest of his life. In his journal he records skill, shelling the coast of France during the D-Day landings, that he had always voted Labour, though both his children and a few months later firing a barrage that flattened a remember him arguing fiercely with their left-wing ideas. Dutch coastal village. Afterwards, visiting his commanding He suspected that socialism was woefully simple when up officer in hospital, he found the wards full of Dutch civilians against human nature. he had injured. In April 1939, at a political meeting, he met a beautiful girl When the war finished, Golding returned to teaching in the - Ann Brookfield - and they fell in love. She was to remain Salisbury school he had left behind in 1940. He and Ann his closest companion, supporter and critic. They married in had a daughter as well as a son, and they led a busy life. But

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 4 despite these preoccupations the war would not let him The Novel’s Plot go. During the conflict he had read Homer’s Iliad, that great poetic account of another terrible war, the battle for Troy. The story is set on a fictitious tropical island in the Pacific Now he began to read Greek tragedy as well. Here he found Ocean during an evacuation of an unspecified nuclear war. A a world where life was not fair - where individuals were the British plane crashes leaving a group of boys aged between victims not only of fate but of their own natures. four and twelve the sole survivors. One evening in the early 1950s, the Goldings were reading At the start, Ralph and the reluctantly named Piggy are seen a bedtime story to their children. It was an adventure searching for the others when they come across a large shell story, a tale of well-behaved children on an island without or conch that can be blown like a trumpet. Ralph blows it adults. Golding told his wife that he could imagine a story and the rest of the other boys come in answer to the call of real children in that situation - they would certainly not including a group of choirboys led by head chorister Jack behave like that. She replied that Merridew. Ralph is chosen to be leader in preference to it was a marvellous idea, and he Jack, who is allowed to command his choir as hunters. Ralph should go ahead and write it. He asserts two primary goals: to have fun and to maintain a did, immediately, working with smoke signal that could alert passing ships to their presence astonishing speed, writing at odd on the island. The boys declare that whoever holds the conch moments, in the staffroom, on shall also be able to speak at their formal gatherings and buses, even - it is said - in lessons. receive the attentive silence of the larger group. The book was rejected by at least ten publishers until, in the autumn Jack organises his choir group into a hunting party responsible of 1953, a young editor at Faber for discovering a food source; Ralph, Jack, and a boy called took it off the reject pile, started named Simon soon form a loose troika of leaders. Though reading and was gripped. It he is Ralph’s only confidant, Piggy is quickly made an outcast was published a year later, in by his fellow “biguns” (older boys) and becomes an unwilling September 1954. Golding was 43. source of laughs for the other children. Simon, in addition to supervising the project of constructing shelters, feels an

■ ORIGINAL FABER PUBLICATION instinctive need to protect the “littluns” (younger boys).

On the basis of this book, Golding was sometimes accused As time passes the boys become used to the island. Ralph of not liking children. That is quite untrue - he had what continues to worry about the smoke signal and Jack might be termed a realistic affection for them. He knew what becomes more and more focused on hunting. The semblance they could do, but he also knew what they needed. His own of order quickly deteriorates as the majority of the boys childhood had been spent under the guidance of kindly turn idle, giving little aid in building shelters, and begin to parents. He knew that children are entitled to the protection develop paranoia’s about the island, referring to a supposed of adults - protection not only from a hostile world, but also monster, the “beast”, which they believe to exist on the from their own natures. It isn’t fair that Ralph and Jack and island. Ralph insists that no such beast exists, but Jack, who Piggy and Simon have to do without adults. It isn’t fair, but has started a power struggle with Ralph, gains control of then life isn’t fair. the discussion by boldly promising to kill the beast. Jack summons all of his hunters to hunt down a wild pig, drawing The end of the story must not be told here. But in its final away those assigned to maintain the signal fire. A ship travels moments Golding covertly asks a terrible question: what by the island, but without the boys’ smoke signal to alert the happens when no one protects the adults - not only from a ship’s crew, the ship continues by without stopping. Angered hostile world, but most crucially from their own natures. by the failure of the boys to attract potential rescuers, Ralph Golding died, aged 81, on 19 June 1993, nearly ten years considers relinquishing his position, but is convinced not to after he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Nobel do so by Piggy. Committee cited his novels “which, with the perspicuity of While Jack schemes against Ralph, twins Samneric, now realistic narrative art and the diversity and universality of assigned to the maintenance of the signal fire, see the corpse myth, illuminate the human condition in the world of today”. of a fighter pilot and his parachute in the dark. Mistaking © Judy Golding 2011, all rights reserved. the corpse for the beast, they run to the cluster of shelters that Ralph and Simon have erected and warn the others. This With acknowledgements to John Carey, William Golding: the unexpected meeting again raises tensions between Jack Man Who Wrote Lord of the Flies (Faber, 2009). and Ralph. Shortly thereafter, Jack decides to lead a party

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 5 to the other side of the island, where a mountain of stones, Turning against Ralph, the tribe takes Samneric captive later called Castle Rock, forms a place where he claims the while Roger drops a boulder from his vantage point above, beast resides. Only Ralph and Jack’s sadistic supporter Roger killing Piggy and shattering the conch. Ralph manages to agree to go; Ralph turns back shortly before the other two escape, but Samneric are tortured until they agree to join boys. When they arrive at the shelters, Jack calls an assembly Jack’s tribe. and tries to turn the others against Ralph, asking for them The following morning, Jack orders his tribe to begin a to remove him from his position. Receiving little support, manhunt for Ralph. Jack’s savages set fire to the forest Jack, Roger, and another boy leave the shelters to form their while Ralph desperately weighs his options for survival. own tribe. This tribe lures in recruits from the main group by Following a long chase, most of the island is consumed providing a feast of cooked pig and its members begin to in flames, drawing the attention of a passing naval vessel. paint their faces and enact bizarre rituals including sacrifices Ralph suddenly runs into an officer from the warship and to the beast. bursts into tears over the death of Piggy and the “end of Simon wanders off on his own to think and finds a severed innocence”. The other children arrive and, now realizing what pig head, left by Jack as an offering to the beast. Simon they have done, also spontaneously erupt into sobs. The envisions the pig head, now swarming with scavenging officer awkwardly turns away to give them a moment to pull flies, as the “Lord of the Flies” and believes that it is talking themselves together. to him. The pig’s head tells Simon that the boys themselves “created” the beast and claims that the real beast is inside them all. Simon also locates the dead parachutist who had been mistaken for the beast, and is the sole member of the group to recognise that the “monster” is merely a human corpse. Simon, hoping to tell others of the discovery, finds Jack’s tribe in the island’s interior during a ritual dance and, mistaken for the beast, is killed by the frenzied boys. Ralph, Piggy and Samneric feel guilty that they, too, participated in this murderous “dance.” Copyright © Tom Hollyman, Inc Hollyman, Copyright © Tom

Characters Ralph Ralph is the epitome of British boyhood; handsome, sporting, decent and honorable. His wish to return home sustains him through the ordeal. He is kindly, looking after the group as a whole at the beginning, and has a love for a natural sense of order. He possesses the confidence of his class but not the arrogance. Although he behaves with boyish superiority over Piggy when the boys arrive he lacks the malice of Jack. Despite recognising Piggy as an outsider he develops both respect and affection for him and his qualities. Having a quiet Copyright © Tom Hollyman, Inc Hollyman, Copyright © Tom authority that the boys appreciate and prefer to Jack’s more Jack and his band of “savages” decide that they should strident and threatening manner, Ralph’s leadership style possess Piggy’s glasses, the only means of starting a fire on and skills improve with experience and lend weight to his the island, so they raid Ralph’s camp, confiscate the glasses, suitability as chief. and return to their abode on Castle Rock. Ralph, now deserted by most of his supporters, journeys to Castle Rock Jack to confront Jack and secure the glasses. Taking the conch The strong-willed Jack is the novel’s primary representative of and accompanied only by Piggy and Samneric, Ralph finds the instinct of savagery, violence, and the desire for power – in the tribe and demands that they return the valuable object. short, the antithesis of Ralph. From the beginning, Jack desires

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 6 power above all other things. He is furious when he loses the motivation is rooted in his deep feeling of connectedness to election to Ralph and continually pushes the boundaries of his nature, Simon is the only character whose sense of morality subordinate role in the group. Early on, Jack retains the sense does not seem to have been imposed by society. Simon of moral propriety and behavior that society instilled in him – represents a kind of natural goodness, as opposed to the in fact, in school he was the leader of the choirboys. Jack soon unbridled evil of Jack and the imposed morality of civilization becomes obsessed with hunting and devotes himself to the represented by Ralph and Piggy. task, painting his face like a barbarian and giving himself over Samneric to bloodlust. The more savage Jack becomes, the more he is able to control the rest of the group. Indeed, apart from Ralph, The twins are so identical that they are given one name Simon, and Piggy, the group largely follows Jack in casting off and cannot function without each other: “They breathed moral restraint and embracing violence and savagery. Jack’s together, they grinned together, they were chunky and vital. love of authority and violence are intimately connected, as They raised wet lips at Ralph, for they seemed provided with both enable him to feel powerful and exalted. By the end, Jack not quite enough skin, so that their profiles were blurred has learned to use the boys’ fear of the beast to control their and their mouths pulled open.” Samneric are given the job behavior—a reminder of how religion and superstition can be of guarding the signal fire. They too side with Ralph but are manipulated as instruments of power. eventually captured by Jack. Under torture, they confess to Jack where Ralph is hiding and the hunt begins. Roger “…a slight, furtive boy whom no-one knew, who kept to himself with an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy… the shock of black hair, down his nape and low on his forehead, seemed to suit his gloomy face and made what had seemed at first an unsociable remoteness into something forbidding.” Roger is a sadist who revels in hurting and causing pain. He knocks over the littluns’ sand castles and throws stones at them. In the end it is he who pushes the boulder that kills Piggy. He becomes Jack’s second in command but even Jack is unnerved by Roger and, during the hunt, describes him as carrying “death in his hands”. The Littluns The so-called littluns are probably between 5 and 7 years

Copyright © Tom Hollyman, Inc Hollyman, Copyright © Tom old. Although they do not always comprehend what is happening around them, they form an important group in Piggy the novel. They are the ones who first see the Beast and are The smartest boy on the island however, due to his obesity in constant fear of it, especially during the night. They are the and asthma, Piggy is also the weakest of the biguns. Piggy ‘rest of society’. Most of them end up joining Jack’s gang, not believes passionately in civilization, law, and reasoning because they can differentiate right from wrong, but because through problems, but he seldom does any work because he provides them with meat and protection. of his size and his nonstop craving for food. Piggy also has a tendency to lecture and criticize. His condescension infuriates the other boys and inspires them to single him out, ridicule him, and even physically abuse him. Activity Simon Simon is the shy, sensitive boy in the group. Simon. He is in Imagine you are Ralph who, having returned home, some ways the only naturally “good” character on the island, is telling his adventures to his father. What might he behaving kindly toward the younger boys and willing to include or leave out? work for the good of their community. Moreover, because his

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 7 Themes and Symbols he challenges the law and order that has kept life reasonable under Ralph. When the boys no longer accept law and order, Taken at face value, Lord of the Flies is a simple tale. Golding Ralph is powerless and darker, more evil forces take over. himself regarded it as a modern fable that can be enjoyed on more complex levels. One way to appreciate this is by exploring some themes of the book, to throw light on what Activity William Golding wanted to say and on the times he was writing in. There will be other themes that you and your Look at how Bourne has portrayed violence through students identify, the following are some suggestions. dance. Is it effective? Describe how actually seeing something non-violent can be more striking. Good and Evil Research and/or discuss examples of law and order The battle between good and evil is a central theme of breaking down, looking at the circumstances, those Lord of the Flies. It appears in many conflicts - between the involved and the outcomes. conch group and the savages, between the boys and the terrifying ‘beast’ and between the rescue from a passing ship and imprisonment on the increasingly insane island, Loss of Innocence to name a few. As the boys on the island progress from well behaved, orderly From the start the conch is clearly a symbol of the decency children longing for rescue to cruel, bloodthirsty hunters who and order of the society that the boys have come from. Ralph have no desire to return to civilization, they naturally lose the with the help of Simon organises the construction of shelters sense of innocence that they possessed at the beginning of and a fire to signal to ships with. The boys spend most of the novel. The painted savages who have hunted, tortured, their time playing and there are few accidents, with Ralph’s and killed animals and human beings are a far cry from the mild government, good is always dominant. guileless children playing in the sand at the beginning. Jack on the other hand epitomises the evil on the island Golding does not portray this loss of innocence as something from immediately breaking away with his band of choirboys that is done to the children; rather, it results naturally from to become savages. The other boys are lured in because their increasing openness to the innate evil and savagery he hunts pigs and doesn’t make them work. The story then that has always existed within them. Golding implies that degenerates into a dark tale that envelops the entire island, civilization can mitigate but never wipe out the innate evil where Piggy is killed and the twins are tortured. It is only that exists within all human beings. the naval officer’s intervention that prevents the complete The forest glade in which Simon sits symbolizes this loss of triumph of evil over good. innocence. At first, it is a place of natural beauty and peace, Law and Order but when Simon returns later in the novel, he discovers the bloody sow’s head impaled upon a stake in the middle of the The boys have come from a society in which orderliness is clearing. The bloody offering to the beast has disrupted the the norm and they attempt to continue this when they first paradise that existed before—a powerful symbol of innate arrive on the island. human evil disrupting childhood innocence. The conch symbolises the values of the previous existence; they cannot talk at meetings unless they are holding it. This means that Piggy - in many ways a natural victim - is able to Activity demonstrate his intellect which leads to improvements in the boys’ lives. ‘Parliaments’ of this kind have always been key Identify the points when certain characters’ innocence elements of successful civilisations, from Viking tings to our were lost. Who was the first? Do any remain innocent own system of government. at the end? The other symbol associated with Piggy, his glasses, expose a different side of law and order on the island. Rightfully Discipline they belong to Piggy and they are used with his permission Golding was a teacher for nine years before he wrote Lord of to make the fires that are essential both to rescue and to the Flies. He became unhappy with the English public school cook food. Jack, a figure of authority at school, refuses to tradition that firm discipline was the best means of turning respect Piggy’s right to the glasses, first punching him and children into young adults. breaking a lens, then stealing them to start fires. In doing so

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 8 The island is like a laboratory in which Golding analyses Simon occupies this role in Lord of the Flies, and in doing so the tensions that exist within a school. Without adults, he he symbolizes all the great spiritual and religious men, from sets free the impulses and desires of the schoolboys and - Jesus to Buddha to nameless mystics and shamans, who have almost - allows them to run their full course. Jack, who we sought to help other men accept and face the terrible fact that presume to be arrogant and bullying at school, becomes first the beast they fear is themselves. Of all the boys, only Simon a wrecker of Ralph and Piggy’s sensible plans, then a dictator fights through his own fear to discover that the “beast” at the and finally a murderer. Piggy is the permanent victim of mountaintop is just a dead man. But when Simon returns with Jack’s bullying and is killed. These disasters could have been the news that there’s no real beast, only the beast within, the prevented by the normal orderliness of school life. other boys kill him. Not just the savages, not just the civilized boys—all the boys kill Simon, because all of the boys lack the Golding goes on to explore some of the problems that harsh courage Simon displayed in facing the beast. discipline can conceal. A vivid demonstration is provided by the boys’ sex lives. At first glance the book never mentions anything at all about sex, even toilet functions being avoided. Looking Activity closer, Golding uses sexual language to describe the pig hunts and their re-enactments. This comes to a head, later in a hunt How many aspects of different religions can you identify that almost reads like a violent sexual act, ending as the ‘sow in the novel or in New Adventures performance? collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her’. Sex is taboo at school and continues to be on the island. So the boys’ sexual urges come out in other ways, in particular to The Conch Shell hurt defenseless pigs. In the real world many sociopaths share Ralph and Piggy discover the conch shell at the beginning of this inability to find sexual satisfaction in conventional, socially the novel and use it to rally the boys together after the crash acceptable ways, and we see the results regularly in the news. separates them. Used in this capacity, the conch becomes a powerful symbol of order and civilisation in the novel. The conch effectively governs the boys’ meetings and gives the Activity boy who holds the shell the right to speak. In this regard it becomes more than a symbol, it becomes an actual vessel Is Golding despairing of the school system he taught of legitimacy and democratic power. As civilisation erodes in? Have a debate and see what is needed to balance and savagery takes over, the conch loses its power: Ralph firm discipline and creative freedom. Is it the absence clutches at it desperately when he talks about his part in of this that Golding is criticizing in schools of the time. Simon’s death and he is jeered at and attacked when he Is it better now? attempts to blow it in Jack’s camp. The boulder that Roger pushes onto Piggy also destroys the conch, symbolising the complete demise of civilised instinct among the boys. Spirituality and Religion The Signal Fire Most of the boys on the island either hide behind civilization, The signal fire is a barometer of the boys’ link to their denying the beast’s existence, or succumb to the beast’s memories of civilisation and home. Their eagerness to keep power by embracing savagery. Golding presents an it alight at the beginning of the novel is an indication of their alternative to civilized suppression and beastly savagery. This willingness to be rescued and returned to normal societal is a life of religion and spiritual truth-seeking, in which men behaviour. As the novel progresses, the fire is allowed to die look into their own hearts, accept that there is a beast within, along with the boys’ desire for order and peace. Ironically, it is and face it squarely. fire that finally attracts a passing ship but it is the out of control and destructive fire started to burn Ralph out of hiding.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 9 The Beast The imaginary beast that terrifies the boys stands for the Activity primal instinct for savagery that Golding feels is within all of How could this novel be described as an allegory? If it is us. As the boys grow more savage, their belief in the Beast an allegory, what message does Golding seem to want grows stronger. They leave sacrifices and gifts for the beast to to get across to his readers? What allegorical roles are placate it and treat it as a totemic idol. The boys’ behaviour is the characters playing? How are the characters in Lord what has created the beast and the worse the boys behave, of the Flies presented as both ‘heroic and sick’? As both the stronger the beast becomes. sane and insane? As both good and evil? The Lord of the Flies This is the bloody, severed sow’s head that Jack impales on a stake and stands in the centre of the forest glade. It is a complicated Other themes to think about and discuss symbol and becomes one of the most important images in Civilisation, Society and Citizenship the novel. It ‘speaks’ to Simon, telling him that it is the evil that Reason versus impulse and Human Instinct lies within all of us and promises to have ‘fun’ with Simon. This Hierarchy, Leadership, Rules and commandments foreshadows the next chapter where Simon is sacrificed. The Lord of the Flies becomes a physical manifestation of the beast, a symbol of the power of evil, a symbol of fear and a Satanic figure calling up the beast within us. The Boys Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel on many levels and one layer is the use of the boys to represent Golding’s view of the struggles within any civilised society. Ralph represents order and democratic leadership, Piggy represents science and rational thought, Simon represents humanity’s innate goodness, Jack represents savagery and the desire for power and Roger represents extreme cruelty and sociopathy. The littluns stand for the general population and are at the mercy of the warring trends acted out by the older boys. They become political tools and are either protected by Ralph and Simon and are encouraged to work for the group as a whole. Jack and Roger use the boys as ammunition and slaves, ruling through fear and intimidation.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 10 3. NEW ADVENTURES AND RE:BOURNE’S LORD OF THE FLIES

An Introduction by Matthew Bourne Our 2011 collaboration with the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, Edited from the New Adventures and Re:Bourne special West Dunbartonshire Council and hundreds of young people edition of Lord of the Flies published for the 2014 tour by in Scotland proved that boys, young men and audiences Faber and Faber. connected to the story and were moved and changed as a result of this ground-breaking collaboration. It is fantastic Lord of the Flies has always been a novel that I thought would that we are now taking the production across the UK and lend itself wonderfully to a dance theatre adaptation. In fact that the project will involve thousands of boys and young my first introduction to it was through Peter Brook’s iconic men around the country. 1963 film so my initial exposure to the characters and story was completely visual. I came to the novel later, but this William Golding was described by his father as an only enriched my desire to bring it to the stage and to find a imaginative, affectionate and musical child. I often reflect theatrical language that would do it justice. So when the idea on this portrait of Golding as we travel around the country of bringing professional dancers together with young men meeting young people keen to be involved in our production with little or no theatrical or dance experience presented of his most famous work. Imagination, musicality and itself, I knew immediately that this was the perfect material, brotherhood are three qualities I would use to describe the and project, to realise this dream. young people who are working with us in villages, towns

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 11 and cities across the UK; three qualities so akin to the ways in country that supports and values each other’s contributions which Golding played out his own childhood. to the project. All of us in that partnership appreciate that without the young people in our production the whole project 2014 feels like an opportune moment for us to be re-telling would fall apart. I’m sure that Golding would be pleased we Golding’s strikingly relevant story in theatres across the have established this structure within the project, and that it country and to be telling it aided by such exceptional young upholds his own values and ambitions for the novel. talent. You only need to look online, open a newspaper or turn on the TV to come across an article or programme There is much evidence that Golding intended his novel to where adults are demonising young people or considering be interpreted on a range of different levels. As our company why childhood is in crisis. Following the publication of the have learnt more about the novel and its international novel Golding was often wrongly accused of not liking impact, it has become very clear that this masterpiece children. Children and young adults across the country today continues to grow and develop with time. A simple search could feel the same hostility from adults, and that is what on Twitter will see that all across the globe teenagers are makes our telling of Lord of the Flies so poignant. reading Lord of the Flies every minute of every day and regardless of their cultural heritage or background they are moved, surprised and shocked by the language and the impact the action has on the characters. Golding’s narrative is a dark and dystopian view of the world, told through the eyes of a group of boys. The key for me in translating it to the stage was to find a visual language that worked not just for dance but also for the theatrical setting. In our version we move the drama from a deserted island to a deserted theatre. This dark, sparse space filled with lost and abandoned props and costumes aims to emulate the adventure and intrigue of the island in the novel. Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Wherever we work we meet exceptionally talented boys and young men who directly challenge a public perception that young people are lost, without focus and uncommitted to their talent and creativity. Our hope is that this re-telling of Lord of the Flies will create a step-change in boys’ dance across the UK and that many more boys and young men will be encouraged to participate in the arts. There is no escaping the anger and savagery of the novel and there were many comparisons made between Lord of the Flies and young people who rioted across the country in 2011. Many young people we have worked with across the country Maybanks Helen Photo: tell us with a great deal of eloquence that they felt those We aim to achieve many things with our deserted theatre riots were in response to them losing their voice in society scenario. We want a playing space big enough for a large and feeling that adults had stopped listening to them and company, in turn providing the space, or playground even, to taking them seriously. Golding, sixty years ago, knew clearly celebrate and demonstrate the talent and creativity of young that children and young people had important contributions people from across the country but also to create an island of to make to society but also that they needed the protection theatrical imagination for our audiences. of adults from a hostile world and from their own feelings. Whether you are returning to the novel, or if it is your first Without initially realising how connected such values are to discovery I hope it speaks to you as it has to many millions of Golding’s own, we have fostered our own hierarchy of support, people across the globe. brotherhood and mentorship in our telling of Lord of the Flies. Our adult company, regional Ambassadors, staff and venues Matthew Bourne OBE have all created a consistently holistic partnership across the Artistic Director, New Adventures, London, March 2014

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 12 Production Research In this section there is a selection of information and research that Scott Ambler, choreographer and co-director, collated when the piece was initially being created. Some of these ideas and references weren’t used in the final production but played a part as the building blocks of the creative process. The project began as a collaboration between Re:Bourne, Glasgow Theatres (ATG) and West Dumbartonshire Council with funding from Creative Scotland to develop a dance piece predominantly to encourage boys and young men to participate in dance. The project also had a multi media element. This became a short 20 minute film - Beastie - created by Scott Ambler and filmmaker Alan Stockdale (see trailer for Beastie - www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMjzSosajyo). At the time Scott was researching and putting his thoughts down, some cataclysmic outside event, a sense that the world outside an adaptation of Lord of the Flies was one of a number of ideas. being dangerous. Perhaps each young person has a bag, a rucksack or a bin-bag with a few hastily grabbed belongings. “..tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” (Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W.B.Yeats) We thought about memories of home and family - first day at a new school, first bike ride, experience of being bullied etc. “I’m not afraid of the darkness outside. It’s the darkness inside homes I don’t like.” (Shelagh Delaney)

■ MOOD BOARDS

Some Initial Ideas by Scott Ambler In keeping with New Adventures’ reputation for producing new versions of classic stories (Swan Lake, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands etc), initial thoughts and impetus comes from the Lost Boys from Peter Pan and the stranded boys of Lord of the Flies; two classic tales of what happens to boys/young men with no adults around. At this early stage, the synopsis is very loose and will change over time as a result of the workshops and meetings along The first night. The shadows come to life and become the way. We imagine the main individual stories will be terrifying. The first triumphant bike ride now becomes a performed by New Adventures’ dancers, integrating the frightening chase of BMX ghouls. The first day at school a story young performers into the company. of horror and alienation. The sense that night brings with it terrors that during the day are hidden in the shadows. “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!” (Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett) “Boys do not grow up gradually. They move forward in spurts like the hands of clocks in railway stations.” (Cyril Connolly) They may be refugees or evacuees. No-one is sure why they are there. There is no adult supervision. Perhaps there has been Morning. A need to get organized and create a sense of

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 13 order. Time to elect a leader. This could take the form of competition and games. Tug o’ War, strength games. Two candidates emerge. The awful ritual of choosing your team. Perhaps the leaders have to dance their manifestos to convince others to join them. One team represents order, unity and cooperation; one team represents wildness and lack of responsibility (Ralph/Jack from Lord of the Flies and the Pirates/Lost Boys from Peter Pan). Separate camps emerge. “Young blood must have its course, lad, and every dog its day.” – Charles Kingsley

Joy/suspicion. Maybe the way out is high up so that the boys have to climb to escape. A final act of unity and cooperation. A hand reaches down to help the disgraced ‘wild’ leader and a truce is made. As the boys leave there is a movement among the shadows of the ruined camp. A figure, one of the ‘wild’ boys, deciding to stay?

Training. One team is all about structure, unison dance creating a harmonious result. Logic and learning. The other is chaotic and martial. War-like and aggressive. Perhaps the two dances collide and there are shifts of emphasis and power. Some defect to the other camp. Costume can be used to accent the differences. The ‘wild’ gang become dangerous and destructive. “For sweetest things turn sourest by thior deeds.” – William Shakespeare The ’wild’ gang raid the peaceful camp and steal away a couple of the youngest boys. The idea of the changelings. Other Research The young ones/‘littluns’ from Lord of the Flies are initiated Peter and Wendy (novel) into the wildness. They are terrified but too terrified to resist. The Lost Boys (film) “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” – J.M.Barrie Swallows and Amazons (book and film) An attempt to rescue the ‘littluns’ turns into a battle of wills and bodies. A dance-off of sorts that could degenerate into a scramble for supremacy. There is some kind of accident/ injury/death. “Hell is other people.” (Sartre) Suddenly the stage is filled with noise and activity. A sound from ‘outside’ and a door opening. Reactions to the rescue.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 14 Plot Sections ‘The creature was a party of boys, ACT I marching approximately in step in two Prologue 1 parallel lines and dressed in strangely Darkness apart from the already open dock door at the rear eccentric clothing.’ of the stage. Sounds of chaos or war, lights flashing and haze comes in from outside, through the dock door. We see a Making an Island figure rushing in (Piggy), finding somewhere to hide, there is a sense of escaping from the danger. They set about arranging the space and what is in it to make an island, a ‘home’. Within this section we meet Ralph and Marching Entrance Piggy properly and the twins Samneric. All the boys enter through the dock door, marching down the ramp into the space, very structured, formal in their school uniforms and with a sense of hope. ‘They breathed together, they grinned together, they were chunky and vital. They raised wet lips at Ralph, for they seemed provided with not quite enough skin, so that their profiles were blurred and their mouths pulled open.’

Conch Ralph and Piggy find one of a set of oil drums and a drum mallet/conchstick. Ralph bangs the oil drum to call everyone together (our equivalent of the conch from the novel).

Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Manifestos No Signal Ralph and Jack state why they should be leader and the boys During the end of the marching sequence, the dock door closes choose Ralph. and the noise of it interrupts the boys’ dance. They are left in semi Friends darkness. A moment of panic as the boys realise they are trapped inside. Some bang on the door. A few mobile phone lights go on Ralph, Simon and Jack set off to explore the building. Piggy and digits are pressed as they try and fail to find a signal. Ralph tries to go but Jack pushes him away. and Piggy find a switch and Ralph turns on the lights. Herding Cats Theatre Piggy is left trying to control and count the boys while the The boys are astonished to find themselves on a deserted other three navigate around the auditorium, their torches stage in a disused theatre. It is exciting and beautiful – a seeking a way out. perfect playground. ‘There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; ‘It’s like in a book’… and there was the world of longing and ‘Treasure Island …’ baffled common sense.’ ‘Swallows and Amazons …’ ‘Coral Island…’ War Games ‘This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the The boys start to play war games, being tanks, airplanes, shooting at each other, lobbing hand grenades, even being grown ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun.’ motorbikes – The Great Escape style. The stage is full of activity on all it’s levels.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 15 End of Day One drum and Ralph lights it. As the glow and warmth emanates Ralph, Simon and Jack return. Ralph tells everyone there is no out, the boys are drawn towards it holding out their hands way out and everyone, exhausted, finds somewhere to sleep towards the source of heat. and settles down for the night. Ralph organises the sleeping Overtired arrangements (he finds blankets in one of the wicker costume baskets). Piggy marks off day one with a piece of After the initial excitement of food and fire, everyone settles chalk on the back wall. Ralph turns out the lights. down for the second night. The twins, Samneric are in charge of watching the fire. The rest are huddling as near the fire as Conch 2 they can. Piggy marks the end of Day 2 on the wall. Ralph Ralph calls a meeting to see what food the boys have in their turns off the lights. rucksacks – not enough. Jack, Roger, Maurice and few of Asleep on the Job the other boys go off to hunt and forage the theatre exiting through the auditorium. Ralph leads the rest off stage. The twins quickly fall asleep at their post. The fire dies.

Simon Stranger Simon’s solo is haunting, fluid and mirrors movement seen In the semi darkness we see the dock door open enough in a later scene where the Lord of the Flies ‘speaks’ to him. for a stranger to enter through the gap. Some light from As Simon stares out into the auditorium, his focus suddenly ‘outside’ creeps in. He is a casualty of the civil rest. He shifts as Ralph and the others return to the stage. staggers forwards, his flashlight scanning the gloom in panic. The boys are sound asleep and he doesn’t see them. He is wearing some long, heavy coat. He makes his way towards the pit. We see a small boy Percy, clutching his Teddy Bear. He watches as the stranger disappears into the pit, too scared to do or say anything. He hides beneath the steel deck. The noise of the dock door closing wakes Ralph who rushes to keep it open but it closes before he reaches it. Ralph takes out his torch, shining it in the faces of the sleeping boys until he finds the twins sound asleep beside the unlit oil drum. There’s a moment of realisation that they missed a chance of getting out.

Heat We are already into day three and the sun is up and the flies are out. The boys are lethargic now and bored. The debris of the food fight is everywhere and the place looks a shambles. Through this, Ralph and Piggy are picking their way. Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Living like Pigs E-Numbers Ralph bangs the drum to call everyone to a meeting. The hunters return with food foraged from front of house – Begrudgingly and lethargically, they respond to him. He tells crisps, popcorn, ice-creams. A sense of ‘raiding a tuck shop’! them to tidy the place up. Everyone lends a hand apart from Everyone enjoys the food. Jack starts a food fight and chaos Jack, Roger, Maurice and some of the older boys. They would takes over. Roger picks on a littlun, an early glimpse of his rather torment the littluns who are trying to help. Percy has ability to be cruel. been disturbed and comes out of his hiding place under the Fire steel deck, clearly scared. After the grub they all start feeling a bit sick and cold and Percival Wemys Madison begin to curl up and find warmth as best they can. Piggy has Percy is pushed forward, terrified. Jack tries to bully him into an idea – he brings out a lighter from his bag – same as the speaking up but is pulled away by Ralph. There is a moment chalk, the map and torch - he has useful things in his bag. He when everyone thinks a fight will start. and Ralph make their way up the steel deck levels to the oil

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 16 Beast Ralph takes the conchstick and gives it to Percy. Percy ‘This was a savage whose image refused describes (dances) what he thinks he saw. Some of the boys to blend with that ancient picture of a boy and Percy create a beast with the conchstick and a blanket. in shorts and shirt.’ The other littleuns are terrified by the story. Percy points out towards the pit. For the first time the boys realize there is ‘something out there’. a run for it from a place of hiding. He is banging into things and in a panic. He is being hunted by Jack and his gang. He is The Pit pursued around the space, finally climbing up on to the top Everyone begins to creep forward, daring each other to of the steel deck where Roger nudges him off into the mass go to the edge and peer over into the pit. A few boys are of hunters below and they all crowd round him for the kill. shoved forwards. It is Jack who takes the initiative. He and Suddenly, from the mass of boys Jack holds high a real pig’s his gang arm themselves to protect everyone. Ralph is head. Robert has become part of the crowd. made to look weak in comparison as Jack calls the boys to Fresh Meat him to make a plan. Jack is triumphant. He smears his face and chest with the head, leaving traces of the pig’s blood, he parades around the stage, like a Pied Piper followed by most of the boys chanting. He puts the pig’s head on a stick, the chanting becomes frenzied and the boys exit leaving Simon staring at the head.

INTERVAL ACT II

Prologue II A lone ‘savage’ stands on stage, holding a stick, alert to everything around him. He lifts his stick above his head and lets out a silent call, the rest of Jack’s gang run onstage, clothes are torn or missing, the boys are seared with war paint, they smell the air and follow an invisible prey. They all exit.

Base Camp

Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Ralph, Piggy, Simon and the twins have been left behind. Nightmares The twins skulk off into the ‘jungle’ leaving Ralph, Piggy and Simon. It’s an uneasy night for everyone. Weird noises echo from different directions. There is a feeling of edginess and fitful Trio sleep. The stage is suddenly an unsafe place. Suddenly a spot Ralph wants to give up being leader but Piggy and Simon light hits the stage, it moves, finding boys in it’s light who try to persuade him not to as the idea of Jack as leader is scatter to hide. Simon is the only one who doesn’t run, he too scary. walks slowly towards the round pool of light, looking out into the empty auditorium. With a change of light (gobos) we see more marks appearing on the back wall. Time passing.

Pig Hunt ‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something We see Jack up high on the steel deck. He looks more savage you could hunt and kill!’ said the head now and has war paint on. There’s a sense we are on a ‘You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? different part of the ‘island’. More hunters appear, stalking a Close, close, close!’ prey. Suddenly a littlun (Robert), wearing a pig mask, makes

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 17 LITTLUN SAVAGE

Centre Stage They put their hands to their mouths. Ralph gives them The pig’s head is placed centre stage on it’s pole. A full the conchstick. The others snigger. They tell the story of moon flies in low and frames it. Stars appear. Everyone has seeing the beast. disappeared, it’s as if we have gone to a secret part of the island. Gang Beelzebub Jack steps forward to say he will fight the beast and in a Simon approaches the pig’s head and kneels in front of it. In tribal sequence, Maurice pretends to be the beast. As the his imagination the pig’s head comes alive and is multiplied dance builds and more people join in, we see Simon, almost to become 3 other evil pig heads. We see an echo of the unrecognisable, climbing up from the pit and onto the foot movement from Simon’s solo in Act I. The pigs direct Simon of the stage. The others are too preoccupied with the savage down towards the pit. game to see him. Or Else The Stranger suddenly comes up from the pit to meet ‘The movement became regular while the Simon. It is clear he is dying. As the pig heads watch, chant lost its first superficial excitement almost acting like puppert-masters, the Stranger dances and began to beat like a steady pulse… with Simon, finally dying in his arms. We see the pig heads There was the throb and stomp of a disappear (removing the stranger’s corpse) and Simon single organism.’ puts on the stranger’s long coat. Simon swoons and as he crawls off into the pit Samneric arrive and see the crawling, staggering shape. Darkness. Kill The Beast Jack spots Simon in the Stranger’s coat and pushed him into the gang. Simon desperately tries to reach Ralph, Piggy and the twins on the steel deck but he is pulled back into the frenzied pack, stabbing and tearing at him. Suddenly a scream then silence for a second. Everyone staggers back into a horseshoe shape. Simon lies dead. No Return Looking at each other silently, as one by one they gather up Simon’s body and send him off into the water. They leave Ralph and Piggy alone. Jack takes the coat with him. Raptors Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Ralph and Piggy huddle back into the darkness, numb over Castle Rock what has just happened. It feels like a storm is brewing and A pulsating, hypnotic tribal dance to the fire takes place they seek shelter in their ‘jungle’ camp. They are unaware with the stage awash with red light. Jack is seen up high that behind them, Jack, Roger and Maurice are preparing to on a makeshift throne, giving orders and acting the ‘Chief’. attack. Suddenly they pounce on the shelter and fighting Ralph and Piggy try to get up to the fire but are stopped by starts. By the time they leave, Piggy is left injured and alone. Jack’s gang. Piggy is holding the conchstick but everyone Ralph is nowhere to be seen. laughs at him. Roger and Maurice are up for making trouble. Roger pushes Piggy, who is helped up by Ralph. Roger is Blind triumphant in front of Jack’s gang. Ralph squares up to Jack Piggy’s glasses and rucksack have gone and he dances his and it looks like there will be a fight. The older boys are keyed blindness, frustration and fear. up, the younger boys a bit scared. Led Teeth and Claw Eventually Piggy hears a noise and feels his way to a costume Suddenly the twins burst through the ‘jungle’. They are basket and opens it to find Ralph. Relief for a moment. They in a panic and scramble away from the pit, banging into set off towards… each other. They realise they are being watched and freeze.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 18 Zup! Piggy tries to shout above the noise and clamour. He has the conchstick and is trying to stop the fight. Roger unties the lamp that is flying above Piggy. Everything goes into slow motion, Ralph and Jack’s fight and Roger, controlling the lamp. Suddenly there is a crash, bringing everyone out of slowmo to see Piggy dead, crushed beneath the large theatre light.

Endgame Silence for a second. Then a roar! It is like the world has gone mad. Bloodlust. The chase is on and Ralph is running. Real danger. Spotlights wheeling. Boys everywhere are wrecking the space in the effort to find Ralph. Piggy’s body is removed. Everything is out of control. Mindless violence. Ralph is forced into the open as props and clothes are hurled on stage as missiles. Finally he collapses downstage centre as the group closes in.

Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Rescue Suddenly there is light as the dock door begins to open. Chief More light floods in, silhouetting an adult - a soldier. He ….On another part of the island Jack is on his throne. He is makes his way down the ramp and onto the stage, pushing wearing the coat Simon wore and dangling Piggy’s glasses debris away with his feet, his gun held up to his face in from his fingers. He is watching Samneric who are being readiness to shoot. Gradually the boys appear from the tortured. All around is like some mad gladiator training camp. darkness and drop their weapons. Percy tugs at the sleeve Samneric are eventually tied to one of the costume rails. of the soldier and drops his teddy bear. The adult steps aside to let them file out into the light. Jack is the last. The soldier Face Off turns towards the front of the stage as a light comes up on Ralph and Piggy enter. It is clear that they are not welcome. Ralph, tears streaming down his face. Fade to black out. Ralph releases the twins who scramble over to Piggy. As Ralph has his back to him, Jack charges and pushes him. They square up again to fight. Jack is showboating – a gangster in front of a ‘And in the middle of them, with filthy semi-circle of boys wanting a fight. They circle each other. body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart…’ Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo:

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 19 Similarities and Differences

William Golding’s Novel New Adventures & Re:Bourne Production Boys are evacuated from a war Boys are escaping a civil unrest Set on a desert Island Set in a disused old theatre The Conch - whoever holds this is allowed to speak An old oil drum and drum mallet/conchstick – who ever holds the conchstick is allowed to ‘speak’ A dead pilot the boys find tangled In a tree on the island, who An injured stranger who finds his way into the theatre and becomes ‘the beast’ disappears down Into the pit, seen only by young Percy The fire is lit to attract attention on the highest point of the An oil drum set on the upper level of the steel deck, island as a signal for rescue representing the cliffs is lit for warmth Ralph’s camp is on the beach, Jack’s is inland – Castle Rock Ralph’s camp is a wicker costume basket and clothes rails set upstage right, Jack’s is on levels of steel deck stage left, representing Castle Rock Piggy is killed by Roger dropping a boulder on him from the Piggy is killed by Roger dropping a large theatre light on top of Castle Rock him The island is in flames as Ralph tries to escape Jack’s gang and Ralph is pelted by Jack’s gang using clothes, blankets, sticks, death pillows etc as missiles thrown from both sides of the stage Ralph runs into a naval officer. He sobs as do the other boys at The shutter on the back wall opens and a soldier enters. the realization of what’s happened and the loss of innocence Slowly the savages emerge, dropping their weapons and slowly walking up the ramp, through the opening in the back wall, into the light of the outside world. Only Ralph remains sat alone on the edge of the stage, tears streaming down his face

Activity

Discuss the major differences between the plots and the elements that make Bourne’s interpretation more appropriate for a new audience? What elements of Bourne’s plot can you relate to as a member of the audience and what connections can you see in our society? Think of other novels that have been adapted for another art form (the stage, film, dance). Discuss what the similarities and differences are between the two. Discuss why these changes may have been made and what their relevance to the present day are.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 20 4. PRODUCTION ELEMENTS Set and Costume Lez Brotherston (Designer) Our production moves the setting from a desert island to a disused theatre, where the boys are shut in from some kind of riot or war outside. As the theatre is disused, the wing spaces, often hidden by tabs, are exposed, the only space the cast cannot be seen from is behind the false back wall.

Set The set is made up of left over elements from previous productions staged in this disused theatre. The main piece of Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: set is steel deck stage left, representing the cliffs and Castle ■ MAKING IN AN ISLAND Rock of the novel’s island. It has various levels and a raked, raised platform on an angle that slopes up from the back of There are four costume rails on wheels that have been the levels and into the upstage centre area. An oil drum is set reinforced with hangers and clothes on them (coats, trousers, towards the highest end of the platform. The drum is fitted shirts etc), mainly dark, muted colours. These represent the with a mechanism, linked to gas bottles off stage, so when ‘lit’ jungle in the novel and Ralph’s camp, once Jack has split off we see real flames. with his gang. The twins Samneric are hooked into clothing on a costume rail and tortured by Jack’s gang in Act II. The steel deck is used to climb on, under and through by the cast and becomes Jack’s camp as the boys become more There are other oil drums as well as the drum with the fire. It feral and savage. The scaffolding poles holding up the raised is Piggy who discovers a drum mallet/conchstick and offers platform are used to swing on and hang things from. this and an oil drum to Ralph early on in Act I. This is our representation of the conch. Whoever holds the conchstick is There is a false dark back wall with a shutter entrance (dock able to ‘speak’. door) slightly off centre right and a raked ramp that comes down into the floor space, from which the boys first enter and finally leave. Along the back wall from stage left is a large gauze that has some pale blue, yellow and orange colouring, representing the sky. The gauze is on runners, like a curtain and is pulled along towards backstage centre and pulled back at various points in the production. Along the floor against the back false wall is a long crumpled bundle of polythene, which is lit blue from underneath, representing the sea. A large, hung round disc which moves from stage right to stage left represents the sun and the passing of time. A large moon is used in the scene where Simon speaks to the pig’s head – the Lord of the Flies.

This production uses a lot of props. There are four old style Maybanks Helen Photo: large wicker costume baskets. Some have wheels and are ■ MANIFESTO used when the boys first discover the space, becoming a racing car and a rollercoaster. A few are reinforced as dancers stand on them, as in the section where Ralph and Jack compete to be voted leader. The baskets are also used to hold old blankets and pillows that the boys use during the night scenes.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 21 The production also has consumables in it. A section in Act I, when Jack and his henchmen have returned from a recce front of house with food - crisps, chocolate, popcorn, ice cream tubs etc – all things that are sold in a theatre shop, brought onto the stage in a triumphant line in boxes and usherettes trays. Most of the food ends up scattered across the stage as Jack starts a food fight once everyone has collected their fair share in an orderly fashion. Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: ■ PIGGY As soon as the boys start to discover the space, blazers are discarded, ties are loosened, some of the littuns take off their shoes and socks to play. The costumes become more broken down as savagery takes over and by the beginning of Act II, shorts are tatty, shirts have been discarded or ripped and faces and bodies are covered in war paint and all shoes and socks have been left behind. As the production has a different cast of boys and young men in each venue of the tour, our wardrobe department re- fits and alters the uniforms - new and broken down - for each new young ensemble in each city. Often repairs are needed or we need to buy an item, for example a pair of shoes. Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: ■ RALPH AND CONCH

The cast also have personal props which they are responsible for during the production - torches, mobile phones (which light up), Piggy has a note book, pen, map, lighter and inhaler (for his asthma). Percy, who sees the stranger has a teddy bear, each schoolboy has a small black rucksack.

Costumes From the boys first entrance, to the their last exit, we see a gradual breakdown in their costumes, from pristine school uniforms to torn, muddy and disheveled shorts and shirts, bearing little or no resemblance to their original state. Piggy’s

costume manages to sustain the least damage. Maybanks Helen Photo: ■ SIMON The uniforms are made up of grey shorts, white shirt, school tie, v-neck grey jumper, zip up hoodies, blazers, grey knee length socks and black shoes.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 22 During the rehearsal process in each city, the young the breaking down come off. ensemble cast are given their character name and a First of all the clothes are ripped or cut with scissors or photograph of how their face paint should look as each is attacked with sandpaper and cheese graters - this is to different. This gives the cast a chance to practice, as during make them look aged & worn. They are then put through the performances they will be applying the war paint a wash with a dirty, durgy dye. This knocks the new look themselves backstage. off everything and turns the white shirts a grubby colour. Costume Supervisor - Jan Bench The wash also helps give the ripped & grated edges a more authentic look. After that the “dirt” is applied. The people As Costume Supervisor I provide all the costumes required doing the work have to think about where the dirt would end for the production. Lez Brotherston, the designer and I up if a boy was actually wearing the clothes for a long time in discussed what style school uniform he wanted the boys a dirty theatre. For example, a lot of the dirt is concentrated to have, we had a few prototype fittings to make sure he around the pockets or on the front of the shorts where the approved the look and that the boys could dance in it and boys might wipe their hands. then I stormed ahead and bought all the uniforms. The challenge with this is finding uniforms that are exactly the same but fit all the different sizes that make up the company, both adult dancers and young ensemble.

Then the black, white or grey pigment is splattered and painted on to the clothes to match with the body painting. Broad brush strokes of white and black across shirts and shorts made the best impact - it helps the audience believe When we first see the boys they are as neat as possible - that order has broken down and chaos ensues. socks pulled up and top button done up, clean and tidy. This look is an integral part of the story telling, it tells the Finally these clothes are baked in a special oven at 150 audience that the boys come from a disciplined and ordered degrees to fix the dyes and pigment. All of this helps gives school and that they are well looked after. the production a context for the dancer’s story. The next part of the job is to have some of the costumes “broken down”. These are the ones that the cast change into part way through the piece. They need to show the audience that the boys have been trapped inside the theatre for a long time and that they have cast away their disciplined neat school boy look and have become feral. The distressing and painting of the costumes is carried out by professional dyers and costume effects people. There is a real skill in getting the costumes to the right level - they can’t look too exaggerated but they can’t look too clean. Also any ‘dirt’ that is added needs to be permanent so the

wardrobe department can wash the costumes and not have Maybanks Helen Photos:

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 23 Music - Composing the Music for using this often, high on the instrument, to depict Jack at his Lord of the Flies by Terry Davies most dangerous. Ralph is harder. Actors say that playing likeable, Getting Started moral people can be difficult because their individual Amongst the most enjoyable moments for me as a composer characteristics are often harder to pin down than those of are those at the very beginning of the process. Everything an obvious villain, for example. Equally, finding a sound for is possible. There are an infinite number of options so I start upright Ralph takes a while. Nothing quite does it. In the with questions to narrow it down. What does the island end, I decide on an orchestral instrument: the French horn. sound like? The conch must be useful, so what is it? Jack’s It has a noble quality that many composers have found group is a choir - that’s a gift, surely! What instrument would useful. But I need to make sure Ralph’s theme can be playful be best for Piggy? How can music lead us into the depths? otherwise the horn could make him sound old and dull. The initial decisions are made with other members of the There is an early opportunity to test these choices. Soon creative team - Matthew Bourne, Scott Ambler and Lez after ‘Making an Island’ there’s to be a section called Brotherston favour a sealed and abandoned theatre to ‘Manifestos’. In this, Ralph and then Jack try to persuade the represent the island and the story will take place today or in others that they will make the best leader. I want each to the near future. These details are crucial for me. Also helpful set out his ideas to his own theme. The two themes then go are any costume drawings or sketches of the set as they on to debate and argue along with the action on the stage help me get to know the characters and their world. There until the saxophone is overtaken by the horn and Ralph is are discussions with Matt and Scott about structure, the triumphant. sequence of events and how they are put together. Before The idea for Piggy takes me by surprise. I always liked long a rough scenario arrives and I have something solid to playing the melodica at school – a kind of blown accordion. work with. It has a slightly wheezy sound that’s perfect for slow, There is going to be a long early section in which the boys thoughtful Piggy, and it also hints at his asthma. excitedly explore the theatre. Matt and Scott have called it Simon is genuinely good - the dreamer open to the natural ‘Making an Island’. This is unlikely to change so I decide to world and beauty. For him I choose a cello: soaring and lyrical. start here, to get a feel for things. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Beast and the The scene has to be fun. I like the thought of having tropical fear of it. I’m drawn to electronic sounds because they are island flavours to reflect back to the book. Caribbean non-human and can be very dark. Low complex chords and rhythms and bright harmonies can suggest this along with harsh electronic percussion heighten this, along with a few marimbas, guitars and ukuleles. The percussion sounds I imagined growls for an extra chill. choose include basketball bounces and trainers squeaking in a gym. Unbroken voices singing a few phrases will add some Developing the Score playful innocence and remind us they are a choir. As the score takes shape I’m often in touch with Matt and Creating Characters Scott with questions or to discuss something. A fresh detail Now I need more themes – tunes I can develop as the story can easily trigger a new idea or suggest an unexpected way progresses. I prefer to have a sound and theme for each main forwards. I send them demos of newly completed sections character to keep the story coherent. Sometimes a theme for and sometimes their comments lead to changes. One of the an idea is useful too – like fear of the Beast or time passing. biggest structural questions concerns a time passing theme that will bind the scenes together and help provide a solid A sound for Jack comes quickly. Of all the characters, he framework. This bleak theme now ends the whole piece. changes the most, from playing with the others to being murderous. A saxophone can be powerful and even harsh, Overall, I need to be certain that the score makes sense and but also sweet and playful. I choose the soprano saxophone in purely musical terms works. For example, as civilisation because the difference between its high, gentle voice and disintegrates, harmony and finally even melody are stripped its harsher sounds is startling. As a bonus, there is a playing away until little more than crude rhythm remains. Finally, it’s technique called ‘growling’ that rasps the notes and I end up a long piece so there must be enough musical variety to hold everybody’s interest.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 24 to see all the workings of the theatre right to the theatre Activity walls so we also see all lamps on booms and amongst the steel deck to cross light the dancers. Write a theme that describes somebody interesting. I wanted the lighting to be made up of big washes of Perhaps somebody you know or a fictional character. light, to be as theatrical as possible. It needs to create an What’s interesting about them and how can you suggest atmosphere to support the mood of the story through the this musically? Should the music be high or low, fast or music and choreography as well as give a sense of time slow, loud or soft? What sounds or instruments would of day. The ‘Making an Island’ section where the boys use work best? costume baskets and found props to create a racing car and Create a conversation in music between two sounds or rollercoaster amongst other things, sees yellow and orange instruments. What is each one saying? Do they argue or washes that create a warm feel, as the boys play. agree? The whole conversation needs to result in a single piece of music. Write a piece that describes a cold and lonely night, far from home. The music for Lord of the Flies by Terry Davies is now available to buy and download from iTunes and Amazon.

Lighting Design by Chris Davey Lez Brotherston, Matthew Bourne and Scott Ambler have very cleverly transposed the location of Lord of the Flies from an Island to an empty theatre. In the novel the boys and young men arrive to a world that is scary, exciting and full of challenges. The essence of this production’s world is found Maybanks Helen Photo: when a group find themselves in a disused empty theatre full of ghosts and history. Essentially they are trapped when The pit (orchestra pit) where the injured stranger/beast the scenery dock door closes behind them in much the same descends is lit with green gels and smoke, creating a way they are trapped on the novel’s island. menacing atmosphere as the boys peer in from a safe distance. My job as lighting designer was to initially create a world the youngsters are scared of yet inquisitive to enter. The As the boys become more animalistic, the music, world outside the dock door is full of danger and explosions choreography, costumes and make up demonstrates the created by strobe lighting and smoke. As the schoolboys gradual changes on the island. The lighting also becomes enter in a marching formation (up to 32 in total) we see them harder to underline the development of the story. Big in silhouette, just their shapes against the smoke. shadows on the theatre walls from lamps on the floor hopefully show this and reds for the ritualistic feel to Jack’s Gradually as the boys become accustomed to their new camp, emphasizing the fire. surroundings we see the elements of the theatre appear. The scenery left behind just so happens to be elements of an This touring production has moved from city to city around the country every few weeks with a new ensemble of young island, a sun, a beautiful sky gauze, a mound of rostra called dancers at each new theatre, joining the New Adventures steel deck that looks like a hill. Each element is picked out by dancers. The lighting is recreated each time by a Chief the lighting in turn encouraging the youngsters to explore Electrician who looks after the show to maintain a high their new world. standard and to deal with any problems that occur such as a All design elements of the production, including all lighting, lamp blowing or a moving light not working. The production are very visible. Nothing is hidden. Often lamps are masked team also includes a Production Electrician who works with so the audience are not aware of where the light comes from the Chief Electrician to fit the show snugly into each theatre but Lez Brotherston the set and costume designer, was keen slightly adjusting the lighting to suit each individual venue.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 25 5. PRACTICAL WORKSHEETS General Notes Character Work Much of the nucleus of movement created by Matthew Bourne and his dancers has its origins in gesture, usually Activity 1 simple, often everyday gestures that are then layered and developed. By the time an audience sees the finished This exercise can be a physical warm up and a character production the original movement is unrecognizable. exercise. By starting with the simple, using the exercises and tasks that Have the class or group line up in groups of 4, 5 or 6 follow, students will be able to embed movement they and (depending on the size of your space and/or group) at their peers create into their bodies and be able to recall the the far end of your space. The intention is to have a single initial intention behind it, so that as a piece of work develops person from each group traveling across the space at the that foundation remains. The intention and motivation of same time. characters in Bourne’s work is integral to the dancers telling The first time they travel, ask them to imagine how they the story to the audience. The dancers need to know who would move through mud. They might interact with each they are, how they feel, what motivates them and their other, someone might fall over, facial expressions are as actions at any given moment. The research the dancers do important as the movement. before and during rehearsals enables them to find a truth in their performance. Once everyone has crossed the space, repeat the exercise but this time travelling through water, what does this do to As important as the movement are facial expressions. As a the movement that is different from mud? dance theatre company, all of Bourne’s work is character and narrative based, so his dancers are also actors and therefore Finally get the group to cross the space as if in a jungle. the story they tell with their faces is as crucial as the story The choice of music will help, you may want to use a they tell physically through movement. different piece of music for each setting. Ask the students Music is also an extremely important element for Bourne. it is to think about how they feel moving through each often music that is the original impetus for his productions, scenario, how their movement changes, how they might although not in every case. Music helps to create or change interact with each other differently (or not at all?). an atmosphere, it can help to highlight a character (as with Terry Davies’ music for Lord of the Flies (see 4. Production Elements, Music) and it helps drive the narrative along.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 26 Activity 2 word and B is going to teach A the bottom half, so they will create a new set of movement. A useful way for your students to start developing characters They may need to adapt the movement a bit which is fine. from either the novel or our production is to use descriptive words – three positive and three negative – with a movement This takes quite a bit of time, it sounds easy but takes a lot of for each. This is a really good way to engage with students concentration. who might not be comfortable with movement or have little The group now has their individual six movement phrase or no experience. They’ll be creating movement without and the top and tail movement. You can start to split this up realizing it. This kind of exercise can create very exciting if you want to, so 2 original phrase movements, then two movement phrase and make students move in a different movements of the top and tail phrase and so on. way. We’ve suggested some words for a few of the characters, you Activity 3 can use your own or ask the students to come up with their own. This is a technique Bourne and his dancers use in the early stages of rehearsals. They each create the backstory for their Positive Negative character and then spend some time in character, interacting Ralph STRONG UNCERTAIN with one another. These backstories will not be something FIERCE SCARED the audience finally see or know about but it gives the COURAGEOUS SAD dancers a very solid foundation, depth and fullness to their characters, which brings their performances to life for the Jack LEADER BULLY audience, something that Bourne has become synonymous COMPETITIVE JEALOUS with in his dance theatre productions. For our production TOUGH CRUEL every young ensemble cast member in each city Lord of the Flies has toured to has gone through this process. Piggy DEPENDABLE ANNOYING INTELLIGENT INSECURE Use the headings below for students to create their own QUIET WEAK characters from Lord of the Flies. The answers to the following should be made up, so they can really use their imaginations. Simon SHY ISOLATED You can use the character descriptions in Section 2 of this KIND WEIRD pack to give the students some ideas and feel free to add to SPIRITUAL VULNERABLE this list. Full Name Once each student has chosen a character and six descriptive Age words, they need to create a movement or gesture for each Where were you born? word, one positive, one negative and so on. Siblings? If so how many? Likes Make sure the movement is clean, clear and in their bodies. Dislikes Make sure that the change from one movement into the Who’s your best friend at school? other is smooth, so all six movements are continuous rather How do you feel about being on a deserted island with no adults? than movement one – hold – movement two – hold etc. You can ‘hot seat’ a number/or all of your students one by Different types of music can help bring out the positive and one so the group gets to ask questions about each other’s negative movements. characters. Share these with the group and discuss. It’s also a good idea for them to work in groups, sharing character information with each other, which individuals If you want to develop this exercise further, you can use a are friends and which are not, so a sense of ‘tribe’ and group technique called Top and Tail – something New Adventures dynamic starts to build. do a lot when creating material. If you plan to develop further work, make sure you/your Split your group off into pairs. Decide on who is A and who is students keep a record of their character work so they can B. A is going to teach B the top half of their movement for each refer back to it.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 27 Devising and Developing Work

Activity 1 order, change levels, add traveling etc. You can put them into different situations - for example in The following exercise allows students to create movement a supermarket, a party, a doctor’s waiting room. Do these and motifs using characters from the novel or from our environments change the movement? Do the students production. This can be a short exercise, just making and feel the need to adapt any of their movements to a given refining the movement or you can develop it further adding situation? What effect does different styles/types of music have? the suggested layers or layers of your own. The important thing is for the students to maintain the Ask your students to pick four characters from the novel or original essence and intention of their movement. They really our production need to think about character (they may want to focus on Put a gesture to each name (similar to Activity 2 in the one of the characters they created a gesture for or more) and Character Work section) that resembles their character’s how they respond to different situations and other people. movement e.g. Piggy - cleaning his glasses or being mocked and Ralph – the leader or using the conch. Activity 2 Once your students have really got each movement clear and The following exercise allows students to create movement clean and in their bodies, ask them to walk around the room based on themes from the novel. There is a progression As they walk, call out the name of a character and the through this exercise that includes creating their own students respond by doing the action. choreography as well as peer teaching and learning. Repeat as many times as you like and play around with Ask each student to think of four items they would take to an things a bit. island. You can change the pace the students do their character Then create a movement or gesture for each item. movement for example slow motion is used in our Allow the students time to refine and remember each production, or speeded up fast. movement, so when they repeat it, it is the same each time. Share some or all of the students four movements with the Further Development: group. Can they guess what the items are? A task New Adventures use to development movement is ‘Whisper and Shout’. Further Development: Take the 4 character gestures from Activity 1, each student Get your students into two lines, facing each other so will now have 8 moves – 4 character and 4 things they would everyone has an opposite partner. bring to an island. Using the four character gestures, one line, then the other, They can work in pairs or in trios (or larger groups) to mix has to ‘whisper’ their gestures, make it smaller but keeping up their movements, putting them in a different order, for the detail and intention. example 2 character, 2 items, 2 character, 2 items, teaching Do the same with a ‘shout’, so the movement becomes each other their movements. exaggerated and huge, again keeping the original movement. Then ask them to add in a turn, jump, travel and slow motion Each student now has 3 versions of their gestures, the to change the dynamics. Each movement can either take 2 or original, the whisper and the shout. 4 counts. Decide this before they start this exercise. They may They can develop a ‘conversation’ in pairs. A starts with their need to adapt their movements to fit this. first gesture, B replies with their first gesture, A responds with Again music is important for tempo and giving the students their second gesture etc. something to respond to. Remind them that their facial You could experiment with putting pairs together to make expressions are important both for the character and item larger groups and conversations. They can play with the movements.

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Activity 3 Activity 4 In our production, there is a scene in Act I when Ralph, Simon The beast is a central theme in Lord of the Flies. The boys and Jack have gone out into the auditorium to look for ways imagine there is a beast on the island in the novel. In our out. Piggy is left in charge of all the others. The boys begin production, the beast is an injured stranger who finds his to play War Games, a section that the young ensemble casts way into the theatre but is only seen by Percy, disappearing have created themselves in each city. Remember these are into the pit. The boys behave differently towards this idea of boys at play. If you are working with older young people, the beast. Jack wants to kill it, most are scared of it, Simon is don’t let them play at being children or play down in age, it really the only one to recognize that the beast is within us still needs to be real for them. Our New Adventures dancers all. The following exercise explores the idea of fear and the left their childhood behind some years ago but they find a beast, real or imaginary. playfulness in this section that isn’t about them pretending Split your students into groups of 5 or more. to be 12 years old again. This was an exercise the dancers did in the studio during some research and development time. They are going to create a physical beast that is able to move. They had so much fun that they decided to find a way to It is really important that each person in each group is include it in the production, there is no equivalent section in allowed to say what their fear is. It may be real or imaginary. the novel. For example, it could be a fear of the dark, of spiders, of Split your students into groups of 5 or more. enclosed spaces, of clowns etc. In their groups they need to create a war scenario through More than one of the fears in each group needs to be movement, with minimal noises and no speaking. They incorporated in the beast. could be in the trenches of WWI, in planes bombing the The group could pick individuals to be a victim or it could enemy, in the jungle Rambo style, it’s up to them and their be a beast that changes shape with each fear. It’s up to the imaginations. group to decide collectively. They can use some sounds if they wish to create atmosphere but no words or speaking. Again music will help, something ominous and dark. Give them at least 20 minutes, longer if possible to create. Then share and discuss. Can the students guess the fears? Were the beasts scary? What did it make them feel creating the beast and watching the other beasts?

Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo: Further Development: Put groups together and create a scenario where one beast Some of the group may be victims rather than fighters, some meets another. What happens? Do they fight, do they morph, might just create the machinery of war. Everything has to be do they collaborate to become stronger and more scary? created physically - tanks, torpedoes, planes etc. Another scenario could be a group becomes the beast and one Every member of the group needs to have a say and it needs the people imagining them or being victimized by the beast. to be clear what kind of combat they are involved in. It can be a number of different types but there should be some If your students have done their character sheets, you could put kind of narrative/logic. them in groups of characters who turn bad, making the beasts and those who remain good, the victims. Give them at least 20 minutes, longer if possible to create. Again allow them at least 20 minutes to create this new Then share and discuss. scenario. Don’t let the quality or clarity of movement, the Choose music that will help the groups to find their inner intention, the facial expressions and telling the story become soldier or commando. You might set the group a task of watered down. researching war films or bring some in with specific sections Again they each need to have a voice and a say in in mind to show them as a stimulus. developing this.

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Activity 5 In total contrast, in Act II, there is a section called Castle Rock. This is Jack’s territory. The stage is flooded with red light, the In Act I there is a nighttime section where the boys are trying fire at the top of the raised platform is lit and the music has a to sleep but there’s an uneasy, eerie, ominous atmosphere. heavy tribal rhythm. We see the littuns enter onto the stage They wake suddenly, looking in different directions, hearing in hoodies and begin a sequence of movement. They are noises, then fall back into sleep, only to be woken again. This then joined by the middluns on the various steel deck levels, exercise gives students the opportunity to create movement in hoodies, with a sequence that adds a layer to the littuns. in pairs and larger groups and involves peer teaching and Finally the biguns enter, mixed in among the littuns, their learning. sequence helps to build the trance like dance to a crescendo. In pairs, ask your students to create a phrase of movement The movement is heavy, intimidating, pulsating and where there is one blanket between the two of them. mesmerizing. They are no longer schoolboys, they are feral savages paying homage to their leader Jack and to the fire. Suggest they work with the ideas of waking up from a bad dream, maybe being woken by a noise from somewhere, is it With these two very different images in mind, ask your their imagination or was that really a noise? students to initially find a marching pattern, something that is unified, very set and precise. Work on keeping movements relatively small, real, not dance structured. Ask them to think about groups that march, about how that might feel physically and mentally. Remember these are Depending on the amount of time you have and/or the innocent schoolboys not trained soldiers. ability of the groups, create either 2 x 8’s, 4 x 8’s or 8 x 8’s. Depending on the time you have, they can create 2 x 8’s or Once the pairs have developed their movements (if you have more that are repeated. They can work in smaller groups and time, allow each pair to show their work), put them in groups then share their marching phrases with each other. of fours or sixes with each pair teaching the other pair/s their movement. Further Development: Ask the groups to think about 4 gestures or movements their This should take some time, as detail is really important. Then schoolboy characters would make. share these pieces with each other and discuss. They need to decide collectively on these. Further Development: Pair One work on mirroring one another. Pair Two become Then split the group so half break out into these new 4 editors, choosing the bits of each pairs material they like best gestures at an agreed point in the sequence, while the others and Pair Three create a slow motion section with the other continue their original marching pattern. This break can pair/s material. happen at any point, as long as it’s in unison. They then return to the original marching pattern. Leave time to share and discuss these. The other half can then break out with the 4 gestures if you wanted to extend the sequence or alternatively they could Activity 6 create 4 gestures of their own and then choreograph each group’s break out from the original marching sequence. At the beginning of Act I the schoolboys enter onto a dimly lit stage in a marching pattern. They are regimented like The music you choose will help them with a regimented soldiers, they hold the straps of their rucksacks and step in rhythm and feel to the movement. unison as they enter through the shutter door and down the Now ask your students to discard the schoolboy and find ramp, smartly dressed in their school uniforms, they have their inner savage. an air of optimism and certainty. Smoke and flashing lights can be seen through the shutter door and a soundtrack of Again get your students to come up with 2 x 8’s (or more shouting and breaking glass can be heard. The music Terry depending on how long they have). Davies has written for this has an almost Morse Code beat They need to think about how this change affects their with a choir singing over it. It’s a very powerful scene that movement and attitudes. builds and builds until the shutter door closes and the boys are locked in. Suggestions of tribal or trance like dances or more modern locking and popping could also be helpful in creating movement.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 30 In our Castle Rock section, all the dancers have a subtle bounce in the knees, a pulsating rhythm throughout, led by the music, this can help students or they may want to try something different. Depending on the ability of your students and the time you have to work with them, they may like to develop two or 3 versions of the original material, so there is layering affect similar to our scen e. Physically and mentally they need to make the shift from regimented schoolboy to intimidating savage, lost in a collective hypnotic state. The choice of music will help students to find these contrasting characters. Referring back to their character sheets may also help them find the movement. Start with simple gestures that reflect each of these opposing types. There may be some gestures that are adapted from the schoolboy into the savage. The groups should think about traveling, levels, maybe cannons to give the movement some texture. Bring the whole group back together to discuss the movement and how both scenarios felt. Did they prefer creating/performing one more than the other? Was it easy or difficult to bring the savage to the forefront? Photo: Helen Maybanks Helen Photo:

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 31 6. REFLECTING AND REVIEWING theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/17/matthew-bourne- dance-lord-of-the-flies Reviewing Live Performance theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2014/apr/17/matthew- General overview bourne-again-dancers-lord-of-the-flies-in-pictures • Summarise the plot in 3–5 sentences heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/stage/scottish-boys-find-their- • Describe the style of the production feet-in-matthew-bournes-lord-of-the-flies.24285019 • Did it remind you of any other productions you have seen or know? • What was your personal response to the production? 7. FURTHER MATERIAL • What theatrical devices and conventions were used? AND READING Rehearsal diaries from our 2011 production Direction and choreography • What do you think the director/choreographer was trying to Rehearsal Diary 1 convey through the production? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYlqFUJ9f_w • Do you think that the choreography, set design and staging Rehearsal diary 2 supported and conveyed this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhJXwVsFn • Was there an interesting and varied use of stage space? Did You Know? Dancing Lord of the Flies’ original title was Strangers From Within. It was • How would you describe the dancing style? rejected by several publishers before Charles Monteith at Faber and Faber saw its potential. • What different styles of dance did you recognise? • Were they all successfully used within the production? When the book was first published in 1954, Lord of the Flies only sold 3,000 copies before going out of print. But by 1962, • What can you say about the dancing in comparison with the the book had sold over 65,000 copies, and has since become dancing in other productions you have seen? a firm favourite on the school and college curriculum. • Who gave the most notable performance? Try to be specific about why in your answer. Lord of the Flies is one of the most famous books of 20th- century literature and the author, William Golding, was Design awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1983. • Describe the set, costume, lighting and sound. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, Golding’s • What kind of statement did each of these make? experience of war became his inspiration for Lord of the Flies: • How did the design contribute to the production’s “The boys try to construct a civilisation on the island; but meaning? it breaks down in blood and terror because the boys are • Give examples of how the lighting enhanced the narrative. suffering from the terrible dise of being human.” Another influence on Lord of the Flies was the 1857 novel The Reviews and editorials for New Adventures and Coral Island by R M Ballantyne, which is mentioned both by Re:Bourne’s production of Lord of the Flies the schoolboys and the naval officer in the book. There are 2014 production trailer even characters in The Coral Island called Ralph and Jack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNazBK6rwrg However, the island of Ballantyne’s novel is rather different to Golding’s, featuring swashbuckling pirates and an island of BBC Breakfast 2014 penguins! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT5bJY2o0E Another likely inspiration for Lord of the Flies was the time telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/10746431/Lord-of- Golding spent teaching at Bishop Wordsworth’s School the-Flies-The-Lowry-Salford-review.html in Salisbury. During his classes, Golding would organise manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/ psychological experiments with his pupils, dividing them review-matthew-bournes-lord-flies-6928338 into ‘gangs’ and giving them ‘camps’ to defend and attack, much like Jack and Ralph’s tribes in Lord of the Flies.

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 32 The title of Lord of the Flies is translated from the Hebrew Further Reading phrase ‘ba’al zebub’, which is the name of a Philistine god and For more information about William Golding visit www. is known as ‘Beelzebub’, the Devil, in the Bible. In the novel, william-golding.co.uk the phrase refers to an ‘unseen’ beast. The Inheritors by William Golding (1955) The conch in Lord of the Flies is a symbol of authority and order; at the beginning, each boy only has permission to Pincher Martin by William Golding (1956) speak when holding it. This is similar to today’s proceedings The Spire by William Golding (1964) in the House of Commons, where the Speaker holds order over the House and authorises when Members of Parliament The Pyramid by William Golding (1967) are allowed to speak during debates. The Scorpion God by William Golding (1971) Lord of the Flies has been adapted for film on two occasions: Darkness Visible by William Golding (1979) in a 1963 version, directed by Peter Brook, and another in 1990, directed by Harry Hook. The Moving Target by William Golding (1982) Characteristically for director Peter Brook, the film was The Paper Men by William Golding (1984) developed unconventionally via a series of workshops The Double Tongue by William Golding (1995) based on the original novel, without going through the usual screenplay stage. He also opted for an entirely non- The Children of Lovers, A Memoir of William Golding by His professional cast, with impressively convincing results. Daughter. Judy Golding Though performances are far from flawless, the more William Golding by John Carey (2009) ‘polished’ efforts of drama school pupils might have Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J M Barrie (1906) undermined Golding’s key theme: that civilisation is merely a paper-thin façade which, when removed, leads to chaos. The Little White Bird by J M Barrie (1902) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Boys_(Peter_Pan) To prepare for their roles in the 1963 film, the boys stayed in an old abandoned tinned pineapple factory on a Puerto Rican island in the Caribbean, where they only had basic facilities, much like the boys in the novel. A stage version of Lord of the Flies was first performed at King’s College Junior School, Wimbledon, on 3 December 1991. William Golding was in the audience and visited the cast backstage afterwards. Lord of the Flies was adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams, and was first produced professionally by the Royal Shakespeare Company on 31 July 1995. Many films and television series have taken inspiration from Lord of the Flies, including The Beach, Lost and episodes of The Simpsons, South Park and The Day Today (where a group of commuters stuck on a train turn into savages!). ■ TOM GAMON AND INVERNESS CAST Castle Rock, a fictional town featured in many Stephen King novels, is named after a rocky outcrop that appears in Lord of the Flies. Compiled by Paul Bovey © John Good

LORD OF THE FLIES TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE PACK 33 Company, 1989 –present day). Essay Questions Hook, Harry (Dir). Lord of the Flies (Columbia Pictures, USA, Compare and contrast Ralph and Simon. Both seem to be Palace Pictures, UK, 1990). “good” characters. Is there a difference in their goodness? Iannucci A, Morris C. The Day Today (BBC 2, 1994). Of all the characters, it is Piggy who most often has useful King, Stephen. Fiction Writer, (b.1947 – ). ideas and sees the correct way for the boys to organize themselves. Yet the other boys rarely listen to him and Kingsley, Charles. Poems of Home: Youth The “Old, Old Song” frequently abuse him. Why do you think this is the case? (b 1819, d 1875). In what ways does Golding use Piggy to advance the Kotcheff Ted (Dir). Rambo - First Blood (Carolco Pictures, 1982). novel’s themes? Parker T, Stone M. South Park (Comedy Central Television What, if anything, might the dead parachutist symbolize? Network TV Series -1997 – ). Does he symbolize something other than what the beast and Ransome, Arthur. Swallows and Amazons (Jonathan Cape, the Lord of the Flies symbolize? 1930). The sow’s head and the conch shell each wield a certain Sarte, Jean Paul. No Exit and Three Other Plays (1994) (Vintage kind of power over the boys. In what ways do these objects’ International, 1989). powers differ? In what way is Lord of the Flies a novel about power, about the power of symbols and about the power of a Schumacher, Joel (Dir): The Lost Boys (Warner Bros, 1987). person to use symbols to control a group? Shakespeare, William. Sonnet 94 (1609). What role do the littluns play in the novel? In one respect, Sturges, John. The Great Escape (The Mirisch Companty/ they serve as gauges of the older boys’ moral positions, as United Artists, 1963). we see whether an older boy is kind or cruel based on how Whatham, Claude (Dir). Swallows and Amazons (Anglo-EMI he treats the littluns. But are the littluns important in and of Film Distributors, 1974). themselves? What might they represent? Williams, Nigel. Lord of the Flies (1995). Yeates, WB. Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven (1899). References Contributors: Abrams, J J, Bender J, Williams S. Lost (ABC TV series, 2004 – Scott Ambler, Jan Bench, Paul Bovey, Matthew Bourne, John 2010). Carey, Chris Davey, Terry Davies, Daisy May Kemp, Etta Murfitt Ballantyne, R M. The Coral Island, A Tale of the Pacific Ocean and Phineas Pett. With special thanks to Judy Golding. Edited (1858). by Helen Prosser Barrie, J M. Peter and Wendy (Hodder & Stoughton 19011). 2014 © Re:Bourne Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot (1953). Boyle, Danny (Dir). The Beach, (Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2000). Brook, Peter (Dir). Lord of the Flies (British Lyon Film Corporation, 1963). Carey, John. William Golding: The Man Who Wrote Lord of the Flies (Faber, 2009). Connolly, Cyril. Intellectual, literary critic and writer (b 1903, d 1974). Delaney, Shelagh. Playwright and author (b 1938, d 2011). Golding, Judy. The Children of Lovers, A Memoir of William

Golding by His Daughter (Faber & Faber, 2011). Maybanks Helen Photo: Greoning M. The Simpsons (TV Series Fox Broadcasting

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