Animal Farm after the revolution: A Fairy Story

The animals seize power. Then the story of their revolution begins to change.

A Fairy Story (Animal Farm) brought BSA’s graduating actors to Tobacco Factory Theatres in February 2026. Written and directed by Maisie Newman, the production set Orwell’s fable against Ben Osborn’s electronic score and a physical world of choreography, strobe lighting and confetti.

Its narrators included a pigeon recast as a news anchor and a dove offering a more sanitised account. That struggle over the telling ran alongside the animals’ struggle for power.

In Bristol24/7, Sam McEvans praised the acting, particularly the quieter exchanges within the larger spectacle. The review also raised reservations about the running time and some effects. It is a useful record of a production whose scale and sensory intensity were central to both its impact and its critical reception.

Sources: Bristol24/7.