Far From The Madding Crowd Rehearsal Blog 2: Visit to Sheepdrove Farm

31 March 2015

“I’m going to feed my father’s flock,
His young and tender lambs,
That over hills and over dales
Lie waiting for their dams.

O stay! O stay! You handsome maid,
And rest a moment here,
For there is none but you alone
That I do love so dear…”

Searching for Lambs, English Folk Song, Anon

Hardy’s world in Far from the Madding Crowd is pastoral, and sheep farming is in its very lifeblood. Just like in the folk songs he grew up singing (several of which are beautifully staged in our adaptation) Hardy writes love stories that play out in the open air. The cycle of the sheep farmer’s year beats out the rhythm of the novel, and the characters’ lives are often intertwined with the fate of their flock.

So, with rehearsals now well under way, we’ve been racking up an impressive list of sheep-related questions. How do you assist a ewe in lambing time? How long does it take to shear a sheep, and how on earth do you do it? How exactly do you save your flock when it gets into the clover? These questions are particularly important for cast member Simon Bubb, whose character Gabriel Oak is an expert shepherd. But with the whole ensemble creating scenes of lambing and pasture bloat live on stage, we were keen to find out more.

Luckily for us, The Watermill enjoys the support of Sheepdrove Organic Farm in Lambourn, and before we knew it we were off on a field trip! Our curiosity was rewarded with a wonderful day. After being met with tea and delicious organic cake (carrot and beetroot, highly recommended) we were given a demonstration of sheep-handling, with several of our cast members draped in fleeces taking on the role of the sheep. After the general hilarity of these performances we were given a talk on Sheepdrove’s admirable organic policy, and taken on a tour of the farm.

On a beautiful spring day amidst the Berkshire downs, it was easy to imagine we were in Hardy’s unchanging Wessex. We got to meet some sheep, turkey, and the world’s most adorable piglets, one of which entertained us by escaping from his pen. The cast left with armfuls of organic honey and wine bought in the shop, and more importantly, with many useful facts to inform their performances. We are very grateful to Sheepdrove Farm for a brilliant day and a wealth of authentic details, which I’m sure will be vital in bringing our pastoral tale to life.

Danielle Pearson
Researcher, Far From The Madding Crowd