George  Orwell's

ANIMAL FARM

Spectacle en version anglaise sans sur titrage pouvant intéresser tous niveaux lycées et 3e collèges avec un niveau d’anglais moyen.

Depuis sa première publication en 1945, « Animal Farm » a été traduit dans de nombreuses langues et a été lu, apprécié, étudié et analysé à travers le monde entier.

 

George Orwell qui avait tout d’abord intitulé son livre « Animal Farm A Fairy story » (la ferme des animaux un conte de fée) pensait que bien qu’il soit en premier lieu une satire de la révolution russe son application était beaucoup plus large.

 

Cette histoire simple d’animaux et des événements qui vont les amener à se rebeller peut être comprise à différents niveaux ; l’enclos est la société, les animaux des individus dont les rêves et les espoirs de construire un monde meilleur sont finalement détruits par la corruption et le pouvoir.

 

C’est une histoire aussi vielle que le monde, une histoire sans fin où la nature animal est le reflet de la condition humaine »

 

 Le synopsis English
 Le synopsis francais
George Orwell Biographie
worksheets

George Orwell

SCRIPT
PRESS
Notes from the director It is ironic that George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, written in 1945, is probably more relevant in this century, more biting as a piece of satire on contemporary political life, than it was in the last. Although written with the Soviet Union in mind, Orwell’s disturbing fable warns us of the dangers of allowing political and military power to rest with the few. Animal Farm reminds us that no matter what the ideology, the cycle of revolution evolving into oppression until toppled by new revolution, is common in countries near and far. In this, Orwell’s most popular and accessible book, we are reminded of the corruption of our own politicians, and the lies and falsehoods, the secrecy and obsessive desire to stay in power no matter what. Tour De Force Theatre Company is delighted to bring you our stage adaptation of this important classic. Orwell’s farmyard of revolutionary animals is brought to life by five talented physical theatre performers and a memorable live musical score. There are images which both shock and delight, the pace is fast and the essential themes are innovatively expressed with great force, charm and clarity. Tour De Force Theatre Company’s exciting and innovative theatre productions have been seen in theatres around the world for the past eight years. Full details of productions past and present, together with reviews, comment board and back-up materials, can be found on the company website: www.adg-europe.com “The company succeeded again & again using dance, music and imaginative costumes in conjuring up a wonderfully magical atmosphere. Hats off for the director Peter Joucla who succeeds in taking the story from the realm of fantasy to the stage without losing any of its magic. “ Schwäbische Zeitung

Photo: © Gaspard Legendre

Photo: © Gaspard Legendre

Some quotations from the original preface to ANIMAL FARM

(not part of most copies of the book).

 

Over and above the familiar Marxist claim that 'bourgeois liberty' is an  illusion, there is now a widespread tendency to argue that one can only defend democracy by totalitarian methods. If one loves democracy, the

argument runs, one must crush its enemies by no matter what means. And who are its enemies? It always appears that they are not only those who attack it openly and consciously, but those who 'objectively' endanger it by spreading mistaken doctrines.

 

If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear

'In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary '

George Orwell

 

'Tell a lie loud and long enough and people will believe it.'

Goebbels

 

'Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written,directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism.... Animal Farm was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole'

George Orwell

 

Distribution

Photo: © Gaspard Legendre

Tour 2021- 2022 includes : BORDEAUX (Pergola), MONTAUBAN (Espace VO), LIMOGES (CCM Jean Moulin), TOURS (N D Oesia), BLOIS (Espace Rosa Parks), BOURGES (Théâtre Jacques Couer), PARIS (L’Alhambra 75010), LILLE (Théâtre Sebastopol), MULHOUSE (Sinne), NANCY (Salle Raugraff), BESANÇON (Petit Kursaal), AVIGNON (Fabrik), TOULOUSE (Altigone), BEZIERS (Palais des Congres), MARSEILLE (L’œuvre), CANNES (Miramar), VALENCE (Theatre du Rhone), LYON (Victor Hugo), COMPIEGNE (Cinema Majestic), NANTES (Odysee), VANNES (Palais des Arts), DIJON (Theatre des Feuillants), CLERMONT-FERRAND (Boris Vian).

Photo: © Gaspard Legendre

George Orwell Biography 25th June 1903 George Orwell born in North West Bengal (India). His real name is Eric Arthur Blair. His family is “lower upper-middle class”. 1904 Settles in England with his mother (his father joins them in 1912 when he retires from the Indian Civil Service) 1908 – 1917 Attends primary and junior school. Corporal punishment was common; this may have provoked his resistance to authority. 1914 His first published work, a poem “Awake, young men of England” 1917 – 1921 Attends Eton, one of England’s most prestigious boarding schools, as a scholarship student. Taught French by Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World (1932) 1922 - 1927 Returns to Burma, where he serves in the Indian Imperial Police. Grows to love Burmese people, and to resent imperialism. Begins work as a writer. Works influenced by this period of his live are the essays “A Hanging” (1931) and “Shooting an Elephant” (1936) as well as his first novel Burmese Days. 1928 - 1936 After resigning from I.I.P, returns to Europe. He purposefully chooses a life of poverty. He works as a dishwasher, a tutor and a teacher, lives as a tramp, lives with miners. Through these experiences, Orwell learns about class differences and the life of the common man. He is a supporter of socialism. 1928 Works as a “plongeur” in Paris, before pneumonia forces him to return to England. 1929 In England, changes his name to George Orwell, to avoid embarrassing his family. 1933 “Down and Out in London and Paris” based on his experience of the underworld and life among the poor. 1934, 1935 “Burmese Days” published in America and then in England. 1934 “A Clergyman’s Daughter”, based on his experience as a teacher. 1936 “Keep the Aspidistra Flying” 1936 Marries Eileen O’Shaughnessy, a former student of J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937 “The Road to Wigan Pier”, based on his experience of living with the unemployed. 1937 Fights, with his wife, for the militia against Franco’s nationalist uprising in the Spanish Civil War. Is seriously injured and experiences the negative side of Communism. Returns to England. Writes “Hommage to Catalonia” soon after, an autobiographical account of events. 1939 – 1945 Second World War. Due to ill-health (linked to his injury and later tuberculosis), Orwell cannot join the army. Instead, he joins the Home Army, broadcasts for the Indian Service of the BBC, continues writing, and in 1944 goes abroad as correspondent for The Observer newspaper. 1939 “Coming up for Air” 1943 – 1944 Writes “Animal Farm”, his satire on the Russian Revolution and anti-Stalinist allegory. 1945 His wife dies. “Animal Farm” is published, after the end of the war. (Publishers were not willing to publish it earlier because Stalin was an ally). 1949 Remarries, to Sonia Bronwell. “1984” is published. 21st January 1950 Orwell dies at the age of 46 from tuberculosis. In total, George Orwell wrote 13 books and hundreds of essays. He was passionate about many causes, believing in socialism but criticising capitalism, imperialism, fascism and Stalinism. What he “most wanted to do was make political writing into an art”. “Liberty is telling people what they do not want to hear.” (from a preface to Animal Farm.)