Like a storm in a teacup, the Pegasus Youth Theatre's production swarmed the pint-sized Pegasus theatre on Wednesday evening with a vibrant and imaginative re-telling of the William Golding novel, adapted by Nigel Williams. Challenging what is traditionally an all-male casting with a co-ed cast of performers aged between 11 and 15, it was easy for an audience to quickly forget that the original was a tale of lost boys, especially with the emotive portrayals of Piggy by Tilly Woolcott and Simon by Katja Letowska. They were hardly the only standout performances though: the audience was treated to a mostly-calm and sensible Ralph by Sebastian Wu, and a terrifying dictator in Jack by Luca Sangiorgio. Their voices filled the auditorium and their movements commanded the stage like true professionals.

The small space that the Pegasus theatre itself holds was imaginatively used, the production and look of the piece being a star in itself, as it quickly set the mood and the tone when the audience saw the castaway children cowering between slabs of concrete and shards of metal. This was a particularly smart choice when the story is unfolding on a deserted island as it still managed to evoke a feeling of loneliness and isolation. Another impressive feat on the stage was the pig hunted by the children, a huge and monstrous creation that they seamlessly beheaded and threw on the fire, thanks to some clever prop engineering. In conjunction with the lighting and eerie sound effects, it managed to achieve a completely immersive experience.

Even though the original was written as a nod to evacuation-era WWII Britain, this telling of it is filled with notes of modern relevance, while still being utterly reminiscent of the original. Between this troupe of young players and the ingenuity of the production company, they brought a savage truth to life and shone a spotlight on the brutality that can exist in all people under the right circumstances.