Lord of the Flies

In my youth, as in countless others, Lord of the Flies was a mandatory text. It seemed at one point or another every person that I know studied this book at school. And why not? It portrays deep messages about the law and order vs primal animalistic urges and it’s prepubescent cast of characters appeals to a younger demographic. There is so much an assumption that we all know the story that it has even been parodied on The Simpsons.

Consequently, it was almost inevitable that a new, more modern, 21^st Century look would be taken at this text and how better to do that than to swap the boys for girls and really give the text a chance to comment upon humanity as a whole, rather than humanity through the eyes of young men. US-A-UM’s all female cast held the potential to really reimagine this text – what would young women do? How would they eventually get to the purely animalistic aspects of the text? Would they get there faster or slower than their male compatriots? Are these primal urges really gender neutral?

Sydney Theatre Company’s resident director Kip Williams brought this story to light as part of this years Helium season at the Malthouse. As we entered the intimate space of the Malthouse’s Tower Theatre, many of the cast were already on the stage, engaged in habitual activities or frozen waiting for the action to begin. These young women were well groomed and dressed in a colour palette of soft pinks, beiges and greys. These were well-bred young women, and from the outset it seemed that their descent into the primitive would be an interesting one. The set itself inside the blackbox theatre was a whimsical bedroom, replete with double bed and dresser, an ugly old chair and a wooden dining table. This again piqued anticipation as to how so many “traditionally female” domains would become the wilds of a deserted island.  By use of voice and pounding on the table, a soundscape and paper aeroplane we were transported through the air and through a plane crash to join the cast on… well… a bedroom with a dresser, ugly chair and dining table.

Contessa Treffone was an admirable Piggy. Her performance was definitely a stand out on the night. She embodied the intellect and outcast nature of a young hero, garnering laughs and sympathy from the audience. Fiona Pepper’s rendition of Ralph was also impressive, starting as a reluctant “Chief” and growing into the role of real leader, in spite of the character’s foibles and missteps along the way. But once the boys choir arrived it started to become clear that the audience was in for 90 minutes of young women shouting constantly over each other in a cacophony of shrillness that did nothing to shed light on 21^st Century gender politics except to provide support for anyone who has ever referred to a woman as a shrew. At times the level of noise of the stage totally obscured the dialogue and so left the audience wondering what the hell was going on. Almost from the first moment Eloise Winestock (as Jack) opened her mouth she was as crazy as Jack was going to be. Clearly a fine actor, there was nowhere for Winestock to take her performance as the plot unfolded and the character became increasingly more unhinged.

The bedroom/dining room set was skillfully moved around the space to create castle rock and the beach area. Less successful was the use of a suitcase full of spaghetti and tomato sauce as the pig. It may well have worked if the Director hadn’t decided the head should be a real pigs head – therefore making the suitcase a quizzical choice.  

An all female cast in Lord of the Flies had tremendous potential to discuss gender roles in society. As a once proud feminist I have always held on to the idea that women are equal to men. But “equal” doesn’t and shouldn’t in this case mean “the same”. If you want to investigate 21^st Century gender politics then you need to do more than cast women as men and change their costumes from pants to skirts.

L.B. Bermingham