George Orwell’s world-famous political novel, Animal Farm, comes to life as a breathtaking live show at the Marlowe Theatre.

The 1945 novel tells the story of a revolution and its aftermath, and has now been reimagined by an award-winning creative team, including director Robert Icke and puppet designer Toby Olié, for the Canterbury stage.

“I like to do new things, and I had never made a show with puppets before,” says Robert, who has previously worked on another of Orwell’s classics, 1984.

“It’s an almost all-puppet cast and they all talk, and it’s been interesting working out what conversations puppets could plausibly have with each other.”

Toby was recruited directly from the puppetry course at Central School of Speech and Drama into the National Theatre production of War Horse.

He added: “We have over 30 life-sized puppets, from huge cart horses to tiny pigeons, so it’s a question of how to get maximum articulation in the puppets with only 14 operators.

“The puppet build took eight and a half months – the longest we’ve done.”

The new production, which runs from Tuesday, May 3, follows the animals of Manor Farm, who drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves.

Old Major, the prize boar, calls the animals of Manor Farm together and shares a strange dream of a better future.

“It’s a simple story: the animals have a revolution and clear out a corrupt old hierarchy to give themselves freedom, and then slowly piece by piece a corrupt hierarchy builds its way back again,” explains Robert.

“It’s not the jolliest of stories, but I think kids enjoy that.

“And I really trust young people as a sort of boring-ometer!”

The production is produced by Children’s Theatre Partnership, in association with Birmingham Rep, who aim to create bold and imaginative shows for young people in the hopes of inspiring a life-long love of theatre.

Animal Farm is at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, from Tuesday, May 3 to Saturday, May 7.

Book online here or call the box office on 01227 787787.