George Orwell’s dystopian tale of hopelessness and oppression (which is also a thinly veiled critique of 1940s global politics ) is perhaps one of the most influential stories of modern times. The title 1984 has become a byword for totalitarian practices, and words such as Big Brother, Room 101, and Doublethink have entered the common lexicon – so much so that Orwell’s stark warnings of a possible future have been watered down by pop culture.

WithinTheatre’s interpretation of the novel brings Orwell’s original intent through clever staging and powerful physical performance. For a start, this production does not attempt to adapt the entire novel; Orwell’s book might be a significant cultural milestone, but it’s not exactly a great story, eschewing structure to present a grittier and more realistic tale.  WithinTheatre’s approach is to start the story in the middle; our protagonist, Winston Smith, has been captured, and his interrogator is showing him the ‘highlights’ of his life.

This is done by having in-universe actors re-enact scenes. These actors are, like Smith, ‘Thought Criminals’, people dragged into interrogation by IngSoc, aka Big Brother. This adds an extra layer of hopelessness to the tale; the actors are themselves victims of the system.  It also means we only get an abridged version of the story with its most relevant story beats; this is cleverly done. The ending is unchanged.

Another layer is added thanks to a back projection; at key parts of the show, text explaining real-world examples of oppressive government practice (mostly from Belarus and Russia) appear, adding poignancy to the show.  The cast is from  Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia, adding further poignancy to the performance.

The adaptation of 1984 is accessible, important, and thought-provoking, and also suitable for persons who may be studying the book at GCSE or higher level.  Brilliant and serious.

Find out more about Within Theatre here.