Dirty Laundry

1984

“Down with Big Brother!” Winston Smith writes in his diary unaware he’s signing himself into Room 101.This terrifying reimaging of George Orwell’s classic 1984 at the Playhouse Theatre is not for the fainthearted. Running in at 101 minutes the story follows Winston Smith (Sam Carne) living in a dystopian future in which citizens are policed by the all seeing Big Brother. However the production puts a spin on the story with historians discovering Winston’s diary as they try to unmask whether Winston’s story is a work of fiction or unsettlingly, the truth.

The stage is stunningly animated by the actors who appear in the blink of an eye showing no-one can be trusted. As the play progresses with imminent violence I was on the edge of my seat and the infamous room 101 scene was almost too harrowing to watch. Sharp roars, blinding strobe lights, walls that explode and figures that silently appear from shadows, even someone who has read the novel will be shocked by this adaptation.

The Encounters between Winston and Julia (the rebellious love interest) are shown on a live video screen, making the audience feel like the thought police watching their crimes against Big Brother.

Tim Dutton’s portrayal of the O’Brien was incredibly refreshing; his polite and sophisticated manner around tortured victims was incredibly menacing and added a lot to the enigma of the character.

I left the theatre wondering if a world like 1984 was possible, when in actual fact it’s quite very possible and with countries like North Korea and the increasing rate of CCTV its obvious how 1984 is still relevant today.