Animal Farm: G6 Play Project

(English/Drama/Music/Art)
Act 1 - Scene 1
Lights up frontstage. Curtains closed.
Boy/Girl narrator enters playing with an ipad. Soon gets bored. Picks up a ball. Gets bored. Finds a book, settles
down to read.

Narrator: Animal Farm. A fairy story by George Orwell. Mmmm, ok, may as well give this a go.
Lights UP. Stage revealed, with a farmhouse, farm gate with MANOR FARM slogan, and Mr Jones at the gate, with a
bottle in his hand.

Narrator (reading): “In the past Mr Jones, although a cruel master, had been a capable farmer. But now he spent
more and more time in the Red Lion. Every night he came home drunk.”

Mr JONES: Who is Lord and Master of all the animals? Man - wonderful man!

Narrator: “His farm was now totally neglected. The fields were full of weeds and the animals were underfed.”

Mr JONES: Who guards the hens and horses, and when their time comes, leads the pigs to the slaughter house?
Man - powerful man!

Narrator: “He went into his farmhouse, turned off the lights and fell asleep.”

Jones walks off stage. Lights dim. As the narrator talks, the ANIMALS emerge from the farm and gather on the front
stage, squatting and sitting, except for MAJOR who stands (on a box?) central, and speaks out to the audience.

Narrator: “Almost immediately, there was a stirring and fluttering throughout the farm. Word had gone round the
animals that there was to be a secret meeting in the big barn. Old Major, the prize boar, and one of the oldest and
wisest animals on the farm had something to say…

MAJOR: Last night I had a strange dream. Many years ago, when I was a little pig, my mother used to sing a secret
and ancient song. I learnt that song. I learnt its words, I learnt its music. But it long since passed out of my memory.
However, last night it came back to me. In my dream…

(He sings): Passionate, but quiet / piano at first, then building

Major hushes them down for quiet

MAJOR: Wait! No noise - we will wake up Jones. Listen - I am over 12 years old, and I think I understand this life as
well as any animal now living. So listen carefully - because I do not think I will be with you much longer…

MOLLIE - the foolish white horse - rushes in late.

 MOLLIE: Sorry…. I had a stone in my hoof. (She shrugs in a careless way, and joins the others, who roll their eyes).

MAJOR: Listen, I say. How does the life of an animal pass? In endless work and slavery. How does the life of an
animal end? In cruel butchery. Is this the law of nature? No, comrades. It is the law of our enemy - man! Man is the
greatest of all criminals. He steals our milk, our wool and all the produce of our labour. He is lord of all the animals,
and yet what does he produce? Nothing! He only consumes, consumes, consumes - but produces nothing. You
hens: what happened to the eggs you laid? They are stolen by our enemy. Man! And you Clover: where are your
foals, your children who should have been the support of your old age? Sold by our enemy, man! And you, Boxer,
what will happen to those great muscles of yours when they lose their power? Jones will sell you to the knacker, who
will cut your throat and boil you down for glue.

Animals shudder in fright.

So what must we do, my friends? What can we do? Why, work, comrades! Work night and day for the overthrow of
our enemy. Rebellion! That is my message comrades. Rebellion! Revolutions. But remember - when you have
conquered the tyrant man, do not adopt his vices. Remember - all animals are equal!

Animals cheer! Suddenly JONES appears with a gun - He shouts for quiet and shoots up into to the air.

Lights go down, but remain on NARRATOR front stage:

Narrator: Three nights later, Old Major died peacefully in his sleep. His body was buried in the orchard.

Act 1 - Scene 2
As the narrator continues reading, lights fade up to show JONES cracking his whip, bottle in his hand.

Narrator: During the next 3 months, Jones continued to starve and bully the animals. But now they had a secret.
They did not know when, but they all fervently believed that one day soon the rebellion would come.

Jones stumbles off stage. NAPOLEON, SNOWBALL AND SQUEALER are seen teaching some of the other animals.

Narrator: Being the cleverest animals on the farm, the pigs led the organising and teaching. These three - Snowball,
Squealer and Napoleon, elaborated Old Major’s lesson into a philosophy which they gave the name…

NAPOLEON & SQUEALER & SNOWBALL (together, finishing the narrator’s sentence): ANIMALISM!

Narrator: Snowball was an idealist, a pig who always dreamt of perfecting the future…

SNOWBALL (coming forward): Animalism will lead us to the life of plenty. Everything we produce we shall own
collectively!

Narrator: Squealer loved to talk…

SQUEALER: Information, comrades; facts, comrades; these are the foundations of Animalism!

Narrator: And Napoleon was a pig they all trusted…

NAPOLEON: I’m a practical pig of few words. I will work hard and say little.

Narrator: After Jones was asleep, they all held secret meetings in the barn.
Animals gather in a circle with SNOWBALL, SQUEALER AND NAPOLEON in the centre, in the attitude of trade
union leaders. MOLLIE raises her hoof / stands up to ask a question:

MOLLIE: Will there be sugar after the rebellion?

SNOWBALL: You don’t need sugar. You will have all the oats and hay you want.

MOLLIE: But will I still be able to wear my beautiful ribbons??

SNOWBALL: Comrade, those ribbons are the badge of slavery.

SQUEALER: Don’t you understand, comrade, that liberty is worth more than ribbons?

MOLLIE (unconvinced): I suppose so…

Narrator: And so they went on waiting, waiting for the rebellion…

Lights down on animals / farm. Narrator continues reading…

Act 1 Scene 3

Narrator: And finally it came. One Saturday morning, Mr Jones got so drunk at the Red Lion he did not come home
until Sunday. And then he forgot to feed the animals…

Lights up on animals hungry / starving and Mr Jones drunkenly walking past them. Narrator continues reading…

He immediately went to sleep on the drawing room sofa, with the newspaper over his face. When evening came, the
animals were still unfed, and the barn doors were locked…At last they could stand it no longer:

Animals rage. Boxer kicks open barn door / gate. All animals rush in and feed on the food. Mr Jones appears, with a
whip. A moment of stillness. Then the animals fling themselves on Jones. Scuffle. Jones drops his whip and runs
away.

And so, before they knew it started, the rebellion was over. Manor Farm was theirs!

NAPOLEON picks up the whip and raises it above his head. Animals cheer and dance in a circle.

They went all over the farm, including the farmhouse, which they inspected with awe and fear. The beds, the mirrors,
the sofa, the carpets - all seemed so obscenely luxurious. Snowball announced that no animal should ever live in the
farmhouse.

SNOWBALL stands in the middle high-up (the others sit / kneel around him). He makes a gesture of denying /
refusing Jones / humans / the farmhouse. The animals agree. NAPOLEON, meanwhile, detaches himself from the
rest, like he is plotting something…

Mr Jones had 2 puppies, children of guard dogs, who had fled with him. Napoleon took them away to a secret place.
There he fed them and looked after them. The rest of the farm soon forgot their existence. And now Snowball
revealed something wonderful…

SNOWBALL raises a sign, with MANOR crossed out and ANIMAL FARM written over it. The animals are amazed.
Squealer explained that the pigs learned to read and write from an old spelling book they found in the rubbish heap.
They all agreed. It was a beautiful name…

Lights down, but linger on the ANIMAL FARM sign

Act 1 Scene 4

Narrator: The pigs next explained that they had simplified the principles of Animalism to seven commandments.

Lights up on SNOWBALL finishing to paint slogan number 7 on the list of commandments. He turns and reads aloud.
With each, ALL THE ANIMALS shout to repeat / echo.

SNOWBALL: One.

ALL: One (repeat this cycle)

SNOWBALL: Two-legged beings are our enemies.

ALL: Our enemies.

SNOWBALL: Two. Four-legged beings are allies and friends.

ALL: Allies and friends.

SNOWBALL: Three. Animals shall never wear clothes.

ALL: Wear clothes.

SNOWBALL: Four. Animals shall never sleep in beds.

ALL: Sleep in beds.

SNOWBALL: Five. Animals shall never drink alcohol.

ALL: Drink alcohol.

SNOWBALL: Six. Animals shall never kill animals.

ALL: Kill animals.

SNOWBALL: Seven. And most important. All animals are equal!

ALL: Are equal!

SNOWBALL: Hooray comrades! Now, to the hayfield! It is time to get the harvest in. (He makes a move to lead the
way when…)

COW: (Can be one or a small group) Wait! Us cows have not been milked since yesterday. Our udders are going to
burst. Arghhh (moans as in pain). We need Jones to help.
 SNOWBALL: (Passionately) Never, comrade!

Narrator: And so the pigs got buckets. We see Snowball milking the cow and filling a bucket. And Snowball milked
the cows. He was actually very good at it. He found that his trotter was well suited to the task.

The milk is carried to the barn / farmhouse door by a pig.

MOLLIE: Hey! Where are you going with all the milk?

NAPOLEON: (Stepping in front of Mollie, but speaking to all animals) Nevermind the milk, comrades. The harvest is
more important now. Comrade Snowball will lead the way. Forward, comrades! To the fields.

The animals move off hesitant and unsure. As lights fade, NAPOLEON remains on stage, and smiles secretly, like a
villain. Lights fade. Spotlight remains on the NARRATOR.

Narrator: When they came back in the evening, the milk had disappeared. Every day it disappeared.

SQUEALER comes out on stage. Front. Speaks out to the audience.

Narrator: Squealer used to say…

SQUEALER: (speaking out to the audience, persuasive) You do not think, comrades, that we pigs are
taking the milk out of selfishness and greed? Many of us dislike milk. I actually dislike it myself. The only
reason we are taking the milk is because - and this is proven by science comrades - that milk is essential
for the brain development of pigs. And of course we pigs are brain workers, are we not comrades? The
whole organisation of the farm depends on us. And so it is for your sake that we drink this milk!

Narrator: And when someone asked if Snowball knew this was happening…

SQUEALER: (still out to the audience, but more sinister, almost threatening) Do you know what would
happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Do you? Jones would come back! Surely, comrades, surely no one
wants to see Jones come back! (After a pause, he exits)

Narrator: Certainly, no one wanted Jones back. Anyway, the animals were incredibly busy with the harvest. The food
tasted so much better for being their own food! But all the hard work collecting it in would have been impossible - if it
had not been for the tremendous muscles and power of Boxer.

BOXER comes out on stage and stands where Squealer was. He stands tall, proud and strong.

Narrator: He was the admiration of everybody. He had one answer to every problem or setback.

BOXER: (to the audience) I WILL WORK HARDER!

Narrator: This was his motto, and it inspired all the animals. The farm was theirs, and it was working. For now…

Act 1 - Scene 5 - Hoof and Horn flag. Teaching Boxer. Four legs good. Two legs bad. (body
percussion sentences - mantra)

Narrator: On Sundays there was no work. The day began at the flag pole. Snowball had designed a new flag for the
farm…
SNOWBALL comes out on stage and hoists the flag up - a green with a white hoof and horn.

SNOWBALL: This flag represents the World Republic of Animals, which will be achieved when we have finally
overthrown the humans! (Shouts this and Animals cheer HOORAY! Off stage) This meeting is now open!

The ANIMALS come out on stage and assemble in a semi-circle around the flag. SNOWBALL remains central in
front of the flagpole, but is joined by SQUEALER and NAPOLEON, who stand either side of him. The other
ANIMALS sit / squat.

SNOWBALL: Comrades, everywhere I look I see success and progress. Hens - well done on the amazing egg
production.

HENS: Thank you, comrade Snowball! (Two or 3 animals reply representing the Hens)

SNOWBALL: And to the sheep - our praise for your white wool production!

SHEEP: Your welcome, Comrade Snowball (We will need a group of sheep in this scene. 4.)

NAPOLEON: (Suddenly cutting in massively) Yes, but not all animals are pulling their weight. The cat, for example.
And Mollie! Comrades - we must all work together. We are at war, did you not know? We all need to learn to use
guns to protect ourselves…

SNOWBALL: (Now he cuts in - facing Napoleon directly) No! Comrade Napoleon, that would be behaving like
humans. We must never behave like men.

An awkward tense silence as SNOWBALL and NAPOLEON stare at each other, both immovable.

SQUEALER slides between them and takes the stage, speaking to the audience / directly out to the audience.

SQUEALER: Ahh, yes well - let us go with the meeting, eh comrades! So - how are we moving forward
with our literacy classes? (Is handed a report and squints at it, “reading” for a moment) Ah, yes. So all the
pigs can now read and write perfectly. But…ah, no…I wish I could say the same for the rest of us. Mollie -
how about you? Can you read yet?

MOLLIE: (standing in a silly, playful way) Well I can read M - O - L - L - I - E. Mollie!

SQUEALER: (Sarcastic) Wonderful. You can read your name. And what about you, Boxer?

BOXER: (Standing and making a great mental effort) A…B…C..(pause)... errrr….D.

SQUEALER: (Shouting, screeching in impatience) You simply must do better! Animalism cannot tolerate
selfishness.

SNOWBALL: Comrade Squealer, all animals must be encouraged if we are to make progress. This is why,
comrades, (speaking out to everyone now) I have simplified the commandments to one single maxim: (pause for
effect) FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD…FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD.

ANIMALS pick up the chant - FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD - becoming a mantra with body percussion
movements. The sheep should continue after the other animals have finished, baaaing the chorus - FOUR
LEEEEGS GOOOD, TWO LEEGS BAAAAAAD.
 Lights fade on stage. Spotlight on narrator, reading…

Act 1 - Scene 6: Jones and the counter revolution. Snowball battle / battle of cowshed.
Narrator: The sheep really took up the maxim and would chant it all day. Meanwhile, Mr Jones was at the Red Lion
pub every night, complaining to anyone and everyone…

JONES into the spotlight, bottle in hand, swaying drunkenly, and shouting out to the audience

JONES: Everyone should know about the disgraceful and wicked situation on Manor Farm. No! I refuse to use the
name ‘Animal Farm’. It is Manor Farm. Did you know that they are savages? Did you know they torture each other?

Narrator: The other farmers were frightened by the rebellion, and were keen to stop their own animals hearing about
it. But the song of Beasts of England, and the maxim “Four legs good”, was heard in every field, in every field - the
pigeons carried it on the wind - and the human farmers trembled in fear. And so, early in October, they decided to try
and do something about it.

JONES standing down stage, waves his arms in a gesture of “come on”, and other FARMERS come from the
audience / side stage, armed with sticks and a gun, and they join Jones.

Lights up on stage, animals hiding behind gate, SNOWBALL at the front of them. Farmers approach gate.

Narrator: But Snowball was ready for them…

SNOWBALL: Retreat, retreat comrades.

ANIMALS slowly and cautiously move back. FARMERS encouraged, give a shout, wave

sticks / guns in the air. JONES is given a gun. JONES pushes open the gate.

JONES: Let’s get them!

SNOWBALL: (loud, shouting) CHARGE, COMRADES! FORWARD!

ANIMALS charge forward, SNOWBALL at the front. JONES raises his gun, but SNOWBALL charges into him and he
falls. The FARMERS jump back in fright and start to run away (back through audience, or side stage). SNOWBALL
and the ANIMALS surround JONES, but he scrambles to his feet and runs away.

SQUEALER: Victory, comrades. Our enemies have fled. Every year we shall mark the anniversary of this
glorious day. But what shall we call this battle, comrades!

BOXER: It must be “Snowball’s battle”, for he is the hero.

NAPOLEON: (quickly and decisively) No, comrade. That is not the right name. It must be called “The Battle of the
Cowshed”. For, of course, we animals are equal. Is that not true, Comrade Snowball?

SNOWBALL: (pause, looking at Napoleon, then the other animals) Quite true. “The Battle of the Cowshed” is the
right name.

Lights fade
Act 1 - Scene 7 Mollie desertion. Snowball v Napoleon. The guard dogs - exit Snowball. Long
live Animal Farm.

Narrator: Shortly after this, as winter drew on, and the work grew harder, Mollie disappeared from the farm.

MOLLIE, front/down stage, walks past narrator as they read.

Narrator: It was thought that she had joined one of the other farmers, who had tempted her away with ribbons and
sugar.

FARMER seen side stage stroking MOLLIE by the nose and then leading her away.

Narrator: No-one ever spoke of Mollie again. (PAUSE)

Lights up on the farm and the ANIMALS are sat in the semi-circular meeting formation. SNOWBALL and NAPOLEON
stand in the middle, gesturing passionately / persuasively as narrator speaks.

Narrator: As well as this, the farm was shook by the fiery debates between Snowball and Napoleon. They always
seemed to disagree with each other on policy. If Snowball proposed one thing, Napoleon would always argue against
it. The animals were confused. They were inspired by Snowball, but found Napoleon persuasive and somewhat more
realistic. The biggest, most intense debate was over the issue of the Windmill.

SNOWBALL: Comrades! If we build a windmill, it will generate electricity to light and warm our stalls.

NAPOLEON: Building a windmill will be impossible. We will waste our time and neglect our work on the farm.

SNOWBALL: For a little bit of effort now, we will save ourselves work in the future, and make the farm more efficient.

NAPOLEON: It is a crazy idea.

SNOWBALL: Where is your ambition?

Suddenly, NAPOLEON lets out a scream or shout, and 2 DOGS aggresively run on stage and leap to attack
SNOWBALL. The other ANIMALS let out a cry of horror, but watch powerlessly. SNOWBALL manages to slip away
and runs off stage, chased by the DOGS, up and out through the audience. The ANIMALS on stage watch in horror
until he has gone. The 2 DOGS return and sit infront of NAPOLEON, like guard dogs.

NAPOLEON: Now, where were we?

SQUEALER: (leaping up) You see, comrades! Snowball has fled back to the human farmers, where he
belongs. He was a spy. An agent of man. And an enemy.

ANIMALS: No!

BOXER: He was the hero at “The Battle of the Cowshed”!

SQUEALER: Wrong, comrade! It was Snowball who had arranged with the humans to attack our farm. It
was Comrade Napoleon who heroically stood up to them and chased them away. Don’t you remember,
comrades?
Pause. Animals look at each other in confusion.

SQUEALER: Yes, of course you remember. And now Snowball has run away back to the humans, we can
expect another attack any moment. And so we must trust in Comrade Napoleon’s leadership. Is this not
right, friends?

BOXER: Who are these dogs? And why do they seem to be serving Napoleon? Are we not all equal?

The DOGS growl at Boxer and the animals, who move back in fear.

NAPOLEON: Don’t worry about the dogs, Boxer, I have educated them. Trained them guard us from our enemies.
They are our friends. And now, comrades - forward to the fields, there is much work to be done.

SQUEALER: Might I suggest that we salute the flag to give thanks for our victory over the traitor Snowball?

NAPOLEON: Excellent idea, Comrade Squealer.

The animals gather around the flag pole. NAPOLEON stands upon a box (where MAJOR once stood) facing the
animals. The 2 DOGS stand beneath him, like guards / soldiers. SQUEALER facing the audience shouts.

SQUEALER: Long live Comrade Napoleon, our trusted leader. And long live Animal Farm.

ANIMALS: (obediently, without much enthusiasm) Long live Animal Farm!

SHEEP: FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD. FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD.

Lights fade as sheep continue bleating the maxim.

ACT 2 (make up on boxer?- wrinkles?)

Act 2 - Scene 1 - Napoleon commandeers the windmill plan.
Narrator: The atmosphere had changed. Fear had returned to the farm and stalked the animals. One dark morning
Napoleon enters the stage and stands on block, Napoleon announced to the animals…

NAPOLEON: We must look to the future, comrades. The animals follow hesitantly (Squealer is hiding behind them)
towards Napoleon and stand in the middle facing the audience (same set up as Act 1 scene 5). We must complete the
construction of a Windmill! This Windmill will help us make the farm more productive. We pigs believe that with a
heroic effort we can finish the Windmill in two years! Long live Animal Farm!

Animals look confused, small chatter between them.

Narrator: The animals were confused. Had Napoleon not opposed the Windmill idea (SQUEALER joins Napoleon on
the stand) when Snowball proposed it? Squealer was on hand to explain…

SQUEALER: No, no comrades. It was all Napoleon’s cunning. He made it seem that he opposed the Windmill plan, to
reveal Snowball’s treachery. In fact, comrades, and this is proven by written evidence, I say in fact, it was Napoleon’s
idea from the beginning. Yes, that’s right comrades, Napoleon was the creative genius of the Windmill design. How lucky
we are to have such a clever leader. Yes, comrades, we are truly blessed. Long live Napoleon!
Narrator: And so they came to accept this version of the truth. And as Boxer would say:

BOXER steps DOWN CS speaking out to the audience.

BOXER: Starting to show signs of aging. If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right!

Narrator: And so the building of the Windmill began…

Act 2 - Scene 2 - Windmill scene - BUILDING - Acrobats - PE

Lights up on the stage. WINDMILL BUILDING. BOXER TOILING, HEROICALLY.

Act 2 - Scene 3 - Trade with Whymper - Growing discontent - beds

The animals stand at the back in two lines with the main acrobats in front. (except Mr/ Ms Whymper) Animals start the
choreography: dig, dig, swipe forehead.

Narrator: And all that year they worked like slaves. But at least they were working for their own benefit. At
least their toil was for themselves, and not for the benefit of greedy human beings.

NAPOLEON:Comrades (Animals stop and look at Napoleon, turn diagonally 35º) from now until further notice
there will be work on Sundays. (reaction from animals) This work is strictly voluntary, but any animal who fails to
turn up will have their rations reduced by half. (reaction from animals) Furthermore, I have decided on a new
policy, comrades. From now on, Animal Farm will be open to trade with neighbouring farms.

Animals express shock at this announcement, whisper amongst themselves.

NAPOLEON: Rest assured, comrades, this trade is not for any profit. We need to buy essential materials for
our farm, and for that we need to sell some of our produce. I have arranged for a man called Mr Whymper to
act as an agent between us and the human farmers. He will visit us every Monday morning to receive my
instructions.

Uneasy silence from animals.

NAPOLEON: Long live Animal Farm!

Mr/Mrs WHYMPER walks in towards the stand.

Narrator: Like Napoleon said, every Monday Mr/ Ms Whymper visited the farm.

Napoleon, followed by Squealer, steps down from the block, greets Mr/ Ms Whymper and leads him/her SR.

Narrator: The animals watched him with dread. But seeing Napoleon giving a man on two legs orders gave
them some sense of pride.

Animals react with a sense of pride.

NAPOLEON: (to Whymper) Do I make myself clear? NAPOLEON gives WHYMPER a paper

WHYMPER (WHYMPER reads the paper and nods ) Perfectly, Mr Napoleon.

NAPOLEON and Squealer lead Whymper off stage, whilst the animals give two steps forward.

Narrator: It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse. (Squealer enters and stands
on the palettes behind the animals if was speaking from a window- animals look to the audience as if the window was in
front of them)There were rumours that they had even taken to sleeping in the beds - which some remembered
there being a rule against…

SQUEALER: Comrades! Surely you did not suppose there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely
means a place to sleep! A pile of straw is a kind of bed, is it not? The rule, comrades, was against sheets -
yes, sheets, which are a nasty human invention. We have removed all sheets from the beds and sleep only
between blankets. (a sly smile) And very comfortable blankets they are too.

Act 2 - Scene 4 January - hard times: the spectre of Snowball (Squealer speech)
Narrator: In January food fell short. Animals begin to spread out, kneeling, hungry, desperate. It was a bitter
winter and the animals were bitterly hungry.

SQUEALER and NAPOLEON walk back in and stand on the block.

Starvation seemed to stare them in the face. They feared that Jones would return and take the farm back,
and they would be powerless to stop it.

Narrator: When Mr Whymper came to visit,Enter WHYMPER. (NAPOLEON and SQUEALER step down from the
block and walk in front of the animals hiding Mr Whymper from the other animals, stand down SR) the pigs ensured
that he never saw how bad the situation was. He would return to the human farmers and say that everything
seemed to be working well on Animal Farm.

NAPOLEON: Yes, that’s right Whymper, 100 eggs for 20 pound notes. We will have the eggs ready on your
next visit. (Exit Whymper, Napoleon smiling as he walks off stage. Napoleon then comes back in and turns to Squealer
- and in a different tone of voice, darker, menacing) Now Comrade Squealer. Go and tell the hens that we require
them to do their duty. Their duty for Animal Farm.

SQUEALER: Of course, comrade Napoleon. (Napoleon exits and Squealer goes up on the stand)

SQUEALER speaks out to the audience

SQUEALER: Duty, comrades. Duty.

Is there a more important word in our language? You hens - your eggs are not really YOUR eggs at all, are
they?

They belong to us all - the republic of Animal Farm - which happens to be organised by our generous and
loving leader, Comrade Napoleon.

It is no sacrifice, comrades, you cannot lose what you do not own. It is a simple duty. Give us the eggs.

And what - do i hear you think, comrades? - what will you get in return?

Our simple duty to you, my friends.

We pigs will buy machinery for our magnificent Windmill, for which we are eternally grateful to Comrade
Napoleon for inventing. And of course we will buy certain necessary materials for us pigs who are the
essential brainworkers of the farm - certain items which will keep our minds sharp, which clearly will be to the
benefit of you all. And it is absolutely crucial that us pigs stay sharp.

Have you heard the rumours, comrades? Have you heard how all over the country there has been disaster
and calamity on the farms? They are coming under attack from a mysterious and dangerous figure, who
sneaks into the barns at night - under the cover of darkness - and milks the cows! - and scatters the grain! -
and - wait for it - breaks the eggs!
Yes, comrades - what barbarian could do such a thing? What monster? Can’t you see…? Don’t you know?
Isn’t it obvious?

Yes, comrades, I have been informed by my secret spies - it is him, that traitor, Snowball! He is out for his
revenge. Why?

Because he hates us, comrades. Hates us and our farm and everything we stand for.

We think he is planning on teaming up with Jones and attacking us again. Yes, comrades, we must be
prepared. And that is why we pigs need to be sharp. And that is why we need money. And the eggs. Now
hand them over, comrades! For Animal Farm. And Comrade Napoleon!

Napoleon enters with dogs and claps to order the animals to sit in a semi circle.

Act 2 - Scene 5
Show trials - Benjamin, Clover and Boxer
Narrator: Four days later, Napoleon ordered all the animals to assemble. The mood was tense.

DOGS At NAPOLEON’s SIDE kneeling, weak, in a semi-circular, open space in the middle. NAPOLEON can have a
piece of paper - a prop representing a list of orders.

NAPOLEON: (Aggressive, strict) Comrades. (the general, another appointed character, steps to the front and stands
next to Squealer). There is a terrible threat to our future. There are traitors here on Animal Farm. These traitors
must be brought to justice. Bring them before me.(the general goes and grabs 3 animals) Let the trial commence.

Three ANIMALS stand up and are being thrown on the floor. The 3 animals are on their knees in a line centre stage.
General stands next to them SL.

NAPOLEON: I hereby sentence you to death for conspiring with the traitor Snowball. Take them away.

The ANIMALS react in [Link] might even try to run away and gets pulled back by the general.

Narrator: (clover stands up and walks behind the sentenced animals and stands at the end SR)They could not
believe their eyes or ears. It was too much for Clover, who stood up and shouted out…

CLOVER: Never! They never did! And what about our commandment? No animal shall kill another animal!
Do you not remember that, comrades? (speaking to the animals, pleading)

NAPOLEON: (after a pause - seeing the animals hesitate) Oh, I think you are confused, Comrade Clover. That
was not it. Comrade Benjamin (Benjamin stands up) - you can read or remember the commandment, right? Tell
it to us.

BENJAMIN is hesitant, nervous, reluctant.

BENJAMIN: I don’t like to get involved with these things. (After a pause, Napoleon gives him a cold stare) Oh very
well. (Benjamin walks forwards and stands next to Squealer) The commandment reads( looks into the audience as if
commandments are in front of him) - No Animals Shall Kill another Animal Without Good Cause. The last 3 words
are painted more clearly than others, I think.

NAPOLEON: Good, Comrade Benjamin. That is to help them stand out of course.

CLOVER: “Without Good Cause” - I do not remember those words at all. Are we sure…?
NAPOLEON: (shouting) IS SOMETHING WRONG, COMRADE CLOVER?

THE DOGS suddenly run towards Clover and growl. CLOVER covers her/his head. BOXER stands up, almost in
defence of her/him, and says in a loud voice, which goes from anger to confusion to grim acceptance.

BOXER: I - I - I do not understand this. I can not - can not - cannot believe it! The only thing - the only thing
to do is…. I MUST WORK HARDER! From now on I will get up an hour earlier in the mornings. And work.
Comrade Napoleon, (pause) is always right.

NAPOLEON: Good, Comrade Boxer. (Steps down from the block, goes past the dogs, snaps his fingers )
Dismissed! (Napoleon exits with his dogs)

CLOVER, BENJAMIN and BOXER move forward. The rest of the animals get ready for windmill. Mr Whymper and
Pilkington go and get dressed.

CLOVER: Tell the truth. What happened to the commandment? It changed, right?

BENJAMIN: Why do you think I keep out of things, Clover?

CLOVER: Because you are afraid. We all are.

BENJAMIN: Maybe I am. But the reason I like to keep out of things is because it is easier that way. There is
no stopping some people. Pointless to even try. And if it wasn’t one way, it’d be the other way - but the result
would be the same. Us animals will never be free.

They both sadly walk back.

Narrator: Somehow, the animals had slipped back into a life of fear and hunger, without fully realising it. But
they consoled themselves with the thought that at least they worked for themselves and not for a tyrant
human master.

Act 2 - Scene 6 Windmill destroyed & Boxer collapses

The windmill gets bullied up again.
Napoleon and Squealer and the dogs walk back in again and stand on the block.

Narrator: But then the next night (Mr Pilking and Mr Whymper walk down stage with 2 dynamite sticks, show them to
the audience and throw them underneath the base, they move SR and cover their ears) without any warning, the
animals awoke to find that a group of human farmers had broke into the farm and were doing something to
the windmill.

LOUD EXPLOSION and the Windmill collapses (emphasise through each student dropping into a forward role. They
scater and look at the farmers.

Narrator: Boxer and the others were horrified. Without waiting for orders from the pigs, they charged (animals
run towards SR- gather in a greek chorus, they all look up and together they breath in and out, looking angry) in fury at
the farmers.

NAPOLEON: Victory (all animals look to their right sharp), comrades! Victory!

BOXER: (SHOUTS) - What VICTORY? (All animals look at boxer) Our Windmill is …

ALL ANIMALS: DESTROYED! (All animals look at the audience)

Pause. NAPOLEON LOOKS FURIOUS. SQUEALER, cutting in, respectfully, takes control.
SQUEALER: What victory, comrade? What victory? (Animals look again at Squealer and breath angrily)
Have we not driven the enemy off our soil - the sacred soil of Animal Farm? And do not worry about the
Windmill. For we will build another Windmill. And another after that. We will build six windmills if we feel like it.
And now - thanks to the leadership of our beloved Comrade Napoleon, we have defeated our enemy,
defeated the traitor Snowball, and the tyrant Jones, and we have our farm secure once more. This is our
victory.

BOXER: (again, without thinking, angry) Then we have won what we had before.

Another pause. NAPOLEON and SQUEALER share a brief but significant look.

SQUEALER: Exactly. Victory. Now forward, Comrades. Let us rebuild the Windmill. But this time build it
stronger. And bigger. For the glory of Animal Farm and Comrade Napoleon.

BOXER: Well (Slowly Boxer moves through the huddle tired and goes CS) I suppose that Comrade Napoleon is
(animals follow and make a tight circle around him)… always right. And, after all, I can…work…harder.

CLOVER: (steps in circle)But Boxer, you are older now. You must be careful. You have worked too much. You
will hurt yourself.

BOXER: No… it … is … ahhhh …. My heart! (Cries in pain - FALLS heavily to the floor)

CLOVER: Boxer! No! Get up Boxer. Get up! Oh Boxer!

The ANIMALS lower and sit on their knees, right knee up and they close the circle.

SQUEALER: Comrade Napoleon has heard with great distress of the accident that has happened to one of
the most loyal workers on Animal Farm. He is already making arrangements to send Boxer to the animal
hospital in the nearest town. Please, comrades, do not worry about Boxer being taken away from the farm,
he will receive the very best care at the hospital. It is the best thing - for him.

Slowly, the animals stand up and looking at BOXER they drift way and make a tigh semi circle standing up.

Act 2 - Scene 7 - The knackers

Gate goes back in.
Narrator: And so the next daya van arrived on Animal Farm. A green van, with white letters painted on the
side. The animals kept their distance (one student goes to grab Boxer and take him towards the emergency exit, the
animals gather in a greek chorus 35º SL) and watched the men lift Boxer into the back. As the van slowly drove
out through the gate, Boxer put his head up to the little window in the back. The animals started to wave
goodbye and wish him a good recovery at the hospital when all of a sudden…

BENJAMIN rushes in and cuts across the Narrator, impatient and shouting with desperation, out into the audience.

BENJAMIN: Fools! Fools! Can’t you see what is written on the side of that van? “Alfred Simmons - Horse
Slaughterer and Glue Boiler”. (pause) THEY ARE TAKING BOXER TO THE KNACKERS!

Narrator: The animals ran to the gate, shouting in terror and panic.

CLOVER joins BENJAMIN, looking out to the audience, as if that is where the van was disappearing.

CLOVER: Boxer! Get out quick! Boxer! They are taking you to your death! BOXER!!!!

We hear banging on the door.

Narrator: The sound of the van grew fainter and fainter. Before the animals could utter a word of protest…

SQUEALER: (out to the audience, as before) We have heard that some of you noticed that the van which took
our loyal comrade away was marked with ‘Horse Slaughterer’ - and that Boxer was sold to the knackers. How
could anyone be so stupid? Surely you know Comrade Napoleon better than this? The explanation is very
simple. The hospital had recently bought the van from a Knacker and had not had time to paint out the old
sign. That is how the mistake arose. Boxer is enjoying the very best treatment in the very best hospital and all
thanks to our great leader, Comrade Napoleon.

NAPOLEON: Comrades, in Boxer’s honour, we should all try to live by his famous maxims - “I will work
harder”, and (pause, where with a menacing smile of confident power) “Comrade Napoleon is always right”. Now,
back to work!

Animals stand in three lines facing the audience. They begin various different movements that portray farming work,
hunger, tiredness, etc.

Act 2 - Scene 8 - Pigs and Men

Narrator: Years passed. Seasons came and went. Jones was dead. Boxer was dead. Snowball…forgotten.
Old Major, and his great dream… no longer talked about.

The farm was more prosperous now. It made more money than before. But only the pigs and the dogs ate
well. The animals were as hungry and exhausted as they ever had been.

BENJAMIN: (steps out of his line, looks at his comrades in despair and looks to the audience) The more things
change, the more they stay the same.

CLOVER: (steps out and joins Benjamin and faces the animals)Come on comrades. (Napoleon Squealer and the
dogs enter and walk in front of Benjamin and Clover, now wearing jackets) At least we work for ourselves. And none
of us goes upon two legs. Right? All animals are equal. Remember that my friends. All. Animals. Are…

CLOVER stops mid-sentence as he sees them wearing human clothes.

CLOVER: Are…Equal? (pause) I think the world has turned upside down.

BENJAMIN: (SHOUTING, surprisingly) ENOUGH! (pause) For the first time in my life - I shall protest! (To the
audience, the animals look at Benjamin and stop working) You pigs…(Turning to Napoleon) …you have gone too far!
​

The pigs burst into cruel laughter. NAPOLEON blows the whistle and the DOGS rush out and charge the animals
(BENJAMIN AND CLOVER at least) back behind a gate / where they were in Act 1 Scene 1. SQUEALER passes
NAPOLEON a bottle (same as Jones had) and the WHIP. In the same manner as JONES in Act 1 - Napoleon struts out
and shouts - with the bottle and whip in his hand -

NAPOLEON: Who is lord of all the animals? PIGS! Wonderful Pigs!

NARRATOR: But to the terrified animals (animals look at each other), the pigs and the men, the men and the
pigs, had seemed to melt into one another. In fact (animals step SL and look into the audience), it was impossible
to tell which was which. (pause). The End. (pause, close book, look out to audience). A Fable, by George
Orwell. (pause). Wow.