1984, by George Orwell
Adapted by Nick Lane
Directed by Conrad Nelson
Nick Lane’s adaptation of 1984 captures George Orwell’s geniality and capability to portray the human condition. In a world where war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength, a perpetually anxious Winston Smith (Nick Haverson) wanders among the blind hysteria of Big Brother society of Oceania. He is an intellectual rebel whose vision of a different future and love for Julia (Kate Ambler) will drive him to face the Ministry of Truth, torture, nightmares and finally the terrors of Room 101. He will relentlessly transform from an enlightened creature in love into a human brutalised by torture and totalitarianism.
Ingenious animation and creepy soundscapes blend strikingly well in Conrad Nelson’s production. Through a screen that cannot be switched off, Big Brother rules and watches over Winston, his comrades, but also over the audience that is forced to think about their condition as citizens in a world of dodgy wars, political corruption and Wikileaks international intrigues. The audience can’t avoid asking themselves, “Do I know the truth about what happens around me in 2010?”
When the Big Brother screen is switched off and the actors leave the stage, nothing is left to the audience but to recognise what an extraordinary mind George Orwell was. A thoughtful spectator would also acknowledge that there is a Room 101 for everybody, which is nothing else than one’s own personal fears in a world of thoughts manipulation, physical and psychological violence. In the same way that Orwell managed to bring out an almost frightening vision of the future, this production succeeds in making it valid and relevant to the times we are living in.
A Northern Broadsides / Dukes Lancaster Production in Association with Stroud Theatre