Open Forum

I'm looking for a good adaptation of Lord of the Flies. And I want to do it with a gender-inclusive cast without breaking the rights agreement.

I figured there would be dozens of different versions out there, but the only one I have found is the Nigel Williams adaptation (which I intend to read). Looks like the same was true in 2015 when someone else posted the same question, but that was almost ten years ago so I'm re-upping the query.

Anyone know/love a different one, or has anyone created one (legally) that they love and would be willing to share?

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Josh Kauffman
Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
Winfield City Schools
Winfield, AL
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Actually, with well-known intellectual property that is still under copyright, such as Lord of the Flies, you're not very likely to find multiple adaptations.  Novelists (and their estates, if they've passed on) usually don't want to get tangled up in that.  We now have two stage adaptations of To Kill a Mockingbird, for example, and there has already been a lawsuit about how the performance rights to each do - or don't - affect the performance rights to the other.  In this case, the Nigel Williams version is probably the only one available.  But you could certainly inquire about whether your production concept would be permitted with it.

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Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
Stanton College Prep
FL
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I'm sorry no one was definitive in answering the 2015 post. However...

The Golding estate is definitive that the Nigel Williams adaptation is the only legal one out there:
https://william-golding.co.uk/contact-and-permissions

Here's an interesting article about the Lord of the Flies copyright situation (and why it won't be in the public domain for several more decades):
https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2011/pre-1976/

On a personal note, back when I was teaching at The Haverford School (a boys school) in the mid-late 1990s, I wanted to do my own adaptation and spent months trying to figure who had the stage rights, a journey that took me to Castle Rock, the company that did the 1990 film, and eventually to Faber & Faber, Golding's publisher, at which point I discovered that the Nigel Williams version was in development. As soon as it came through, I staged the North American premiere at Haverford. (In fact, when the Shaw Festival tried to bill their production as the North American premiere, I wrote them and they had to apologize--theirs was just the Canadian premiere.)

The bottom line is that if you want to do the play before 2050 or so, this is the version you'll need to use. However, there certainly is anecdotal evidence that you may be able to stage it with gender-blind casting, but you'd need to confirm.

Cheers,
Jonathan

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Playwright/Managing Partner of YouthPLAYS
Los Angeles, CA
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That is definitive indeed. Thanks for the complete answer and also the anecdote (how cool). I will just have to hope that I love the Williams adaptation once my copy arrives in the mail.

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Josh Kauffman
Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
Winfield City Schools
Winfield, AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-24-2023 12:41
From: Jonathan Dorf
Subject: Lord of the Flies

I'm sorry no one was definitive in answering the 2015 post. However...

The Golding estate is definitive that the Nigel Williams adaptation is the only legal one out there:
https://william-golding.co.uk/contact-and-permissions

Here's an interesting article about the Lord of the Flies copyright situation (and why it won't be in the public domain for several more decades):
https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2011/pre-1976/

On a personal note, back when I was teaching at The Haverford School (a boys school) in the mid-late 1990s, I wanted to do my own adaptation and spent months trying to figure who had the stage rights, a journey that took me to Castle Rock, the company that did the 1990 film, and eventually to Faber & Faber, Golding's publisher, at which point I discovered that the Nigel Williams version was in development. As soon as it came through, I staged the North American premiere at Haverford. (In fact, when the Shaw Festival tried to bill their production as the North American premiere, I wrote them and they had to apologize--theirs was just the Canadian premiere.)

The bottom line is that if you want to do the play before 2050 or so, this is the version you'll need to use. However, there certainly is anecdotal evidence that you may be able to stage it with gender-blind casting, but you'd need to confirm.

Cheers,
Jonathan

------------------------------
Playwright/Managing Partner of YouthPLAYS
Los Angeles, CA
------------------------------

A great discussion here, and it seems like the questions have mostly been answered. One thing I wanted to add is that if you end up going ahead with a gender-inclusive cast, make sure you get permission from the publisher/the Golding estate. Oftentimes, playwrights are fine with swapping the gender of certain characters in a play if the gender is not particularly important to the storytelling. However, I remember reading that Golding said that he wrote the novel to be all boys for very specific reasons. I don't know if that will carry on to the play adaptation, but it would definitely be something to check on.

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Christopher Hamilton
Drama Teacher
Kamiakin High School
WA
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I commend your desire to explore a gender-inclusive adaptation of Lord of the Files while respecting the rights agreement. It's wonderful to see a fresh perspective being brought to this classic story. While the Nigel Williams adaptation is a well-known version, I encourage you to also consider exploring other adaptations that might exist. Keep in mind that adaptations can vary across different mediums, such as film, theater, or even graphic novels, so exploring those avenues might yield more options. Additionally, reaching out to theater groups, creative communities, or online forums dedicated to adaptations could help you find individuals who have created their own versions within legal boundaries. Best of luck with your search, and I hope you find a version that resonates with you!

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rocivo soombm
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No. Full stop. The Golding estate is super clear about this. From their website:

"No dramatisation of Lord of the Flies other than the Nigel Williams one will be authorised by the author's heirs or publishers. Any other dramatisation is an infringement of the author's copyright, and will be the subject of legal proceedings."

In other words, no other stage version of Lord of the Flies may legally be produced by anyone until the novel falls out of copyright in 2050.

Regards,
Jonathan

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Playwright/Managing Partner of YouthPLAYS
Los Angeles, CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-07-2023 05:12
From: rocivo soombm
Subject: Lord of the Flies

I commend your desire to explore a gender-inclusive adaptation of Lord of the Files while respecting the rights agreement. It's wonderful to see a fresh perspective being brought to this classic story. While the Nigel Williams adaptation is a well-known version, I encourage you to also consider exploring other adaptations that might exist. Keep in mind that adaptations can vary across different mediums, such as film, theater, or even graphic novels, so exploring those avenues might yield more options. Additionally, reaching out to theater groups, creative communities, or online forums dedicated to adaptations could help you find individuals who have created their own versions within legal boundaries. Best of luck with your search, and I hope you find a version that resonates with you!

------------------------------
rocivo soombm
------------------------------

Josh,

Whatever happened to your inquiry for Lord of the Flies? Can you give me some tips on how to reach them for royalty rights?

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Catharine Rademacher
Bloomington South High School
IN
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Catherine,

The rights can be applied for here. We have secured rights for a production scheduled for this fall. We bought the scripts on Amazon and supplied the invoice to the rights holder as proof we had adequate scripts for the show.

As far as the gendered casting, we have not yet made the request, but will do so once the school year winds down. The answer I expect is that the roles must be played as male but can be played by actors of any gender. If I end up with a different answer, we will roll with that.

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Josh Kauffman
Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
Winfield City Schools
Winfield, AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2024 09:54
From: Catharine Rademacher
Subject: Lord of the Flies

Josh,

Whatever happened to your inquiry for Lord of the Flies? Can you give me some tips on how to reach them for royalty rights?

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Catharine Rademacher
Bloomington South High School
IN
------------------------------