“Lord of the Flies”

Reviewer: Dawn Teo
Performance: 2 April 2016

Even though many would argue that elaborate sets do not always make good theatre, I must say that the set done by Wong Chee Wai for this adaptation of Lord of The Flies played a big role.

Upon entering the SOTA Studio Theatre, I am surrounded by plants and green creepers. The greenery overwhelms and greets audience members at every turn – even the ceiling and the sitting area are not spared. It is as though I have walked into a forest and am watching the play’s events unfold right before my eyes in real time.

With such an immersive set that extends itself beyond stage limits, I am glad that the production chooses to omit the house announcements and flow right into the performance: complete with sounds of the airplane crash, strobe lights as well as smoke. These portentous signals are only marred by random mobile phones ringing while the performance ensues.

Directed by Samantha Scott-Blackhall, Lord of The Flies is about a group of school boys being the only survivors of a plane crash. Stranded on a deserted island, they are left to organize themselves, hunt for food, make shelters and start fire signals. Things slowly make a turn for the worse, and it soon becomes a fight for life and death.

Despite the heavy themes, the play remains mostly aesthetically pleasing. The actors are strong: ranging from veteran actor Lim Kay Siu to the return of Mark Richmond. But I must say that it is quite an interesting experience to witness grown men physicalise and behave as young teenage boys.

A special mention goes to Erwin Shah Ismail playing the role of Simon. During his short monologue, he manages to capture the subtleties of his character without making it caricature. The honesty and genuine nature of Simon is portrayed with a sense of truth, and that made the short scene very relatable.

The passage of time was beautifully illustrated with the use of lights. Lighting Designer James Tan manages to enhance the storytelling with just a change in light colour or type of lighting used.

Being a complex story to share and to bring to life on stage, I applaud the team for their ambitious effort and artistic direction that Is evident in every aspect of the design and acting.