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Show: 1984
Society: Wellington Theatre Company
Venue: Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man
Credits: George Orwell
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 03/04/2024
1984
Paul Johnson | 03 Apr 2024 23:39pm
Photos: Paul Johnson
There can only be a handful of people who have not heard of George Orwell’s classic 1984. It has given birth to countless dystopian stories. The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games spring to mind from the most recent years. But 1984 was the first. The original. That’s how ahead the game Orwell was in 1948 when he wrote his famous novel. And the 80s were as good a decade as any to pick, way back in 1948!
The MADF website has the following preview: “Winston Smith is in prison, found guilty of Thoughtcrimes against Big Brother. As part of his reconstruction, he must re-enact key moments from his past life, with the help of other thought criminals, so that everyone can learn from his mistakes. Indluding his biggest mistake of all; falling in love with Julia. Constructed almost entirely from dialogue taken from the original novel, this bold and powerful dramatisation restores the blazing heart of Orwell’s work: a doomed love story, with the lovers at its centre.
This is a terrific and terrifying play about what could happen, or is it happening now!
Considering it was written 75 years ago it makes events that are happening today
stunning and scary.”
it’s curious how O’Brien, the Interigator, makes no bones about the fact Big Brother is rewriting history, including who is at war with who. You just have to believe everything you say… and I do mean ‘believe’. To that end O’Brien begins by holding up four fingers of one hand. When he is asked how many he says “four” of course… and duly receives an electric shock. This goes on for a shocking seven years until he either truly believes whatever is said to him or Smith is too tired to argue (the electric shocks have gotten much stronger too).
I can’t report who the actors or creatives were. But suffice to say the performance was solid although don’t think the guy playing O’Brien really needed such a large and pointy Orwellian beard stuck to his face. Surely he could have grown the real thing for the name of art. But it was nice to see Smith played by a larger chap. We often think of Winston Smith as having a frailer physique like John Hurt. That way we can see him being tortured more easily.
Speaking of torture, Smith will do anything to avoid rats, let alone have one eating his face. That is the point when he gladly gives Julia’s name up to remain rat-free.
Despite the strong performance, our adjudicator, Chris Baglan, gave the overall winning cup to The Father just as I predicted.