Jack Thorne on Lord of the Flies in Variety

The multi-award-winning screenwriter, Jack Thorne, discusses his adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel Lord of the Flies, in an interview with Variety magazine. Perhaps the biggest change is the naming of Piggy, who tantalisingly is only known by his unkind nickname in the book. Thorne gives him the name ‘Nicky’, and touchingly, in the interview, Thorne ‘says he prefers to call him Nicky’ when talking about the show. For Thorne, he ‘felt like [Nicky/Piggy] needed that identity’.  Coincidentally, one of Golding’s grandsons is named Nick, and was known as Nicky when he was young! Further, in Golding’s 1959 novel Free Fall, he created a character called Nick Shales, who was based on Golding’s own father. So although the name is not canonical in Golding terms, it strikes me as a great choice.

Thorne also discusses the deaths of Simon and Piggy in the interview and revealed that he wished to capture the same confusion at the murder of Simon as in the book. In this, he certainly succeeds, as it isn’t until the body floats out to sea that the viewer knows what has happened: ‘The confusion of that moment is what makes it so horrifying and compelling.’ In the programme, Piggy is not instantly killed by Roger’s rock, but survives for some time with Ralph who desperately tries to save him. This leads to one of the most poignant moments, when Ralph has to bury his friend. Thorne says:

‘There was no way that Ralph was leaving him on the island without burying him properly. It’s him embracing what Nicky meant to him.’

Read the full fascinating interview here.