1984 – Summerhall, Old Lab

I do not wish to state the obvious, but I will, this play is set in 1984 and written by George Orwell in 1949.  In just thirty-five years from writing his novel, Orwell was imagining a time when the government would be an oppressive, intrusive, dictatorship, ruling our society.  He imagined us with no rights to free speech, and a punishing regime ruled by terror.  Within Theatre Company, (with Sophie Vallee in the directing chair), have taken Nick Hern’s script adapting the novel for theatre, and wrapped a message inside of it – that this is happening in places around the world today, places that they know…their homes!  Unable to perform in their home countries of Russia and Belarus, they are performing 1984 in the UK.  And, 40 years on did Orwell predict the future correctly?

‘1984’ was banned when it was first published in Russia, but is now available, and it has become one of the most popular books read by Russians.  In a slightly bizarre twist, in the same year (2022), Belarus chose to ban the book!

To summarise the storyline, Winston Smith (Faiaz Valiullin) is aged 39, and works at the Ministry of Truth as a re-writer of history and meets Julia (Anastasia Aush) who is a complicated lady who lures Smith into a relationship and goes along with Smith’s plan to defy Big Brother, the leader of the oppressive government.  The play begins with O’Brien (Ivan Ivashkin) who has been working undercover as an agent of the thought police; arresting Smith and takes him away to be interrogated.  In prison, Smith is forced to see a reconstruction of his insurrection, and the period that led up to his betrayal of the government.

The play moves quickly, and the physical nature of the play must not be allowed to smother the dialogue, the dialogue is key to plotline.  This is clearly an important, prescient play, and this fiction runs far too closely to the totalitarianism seen in our non-fiction world today.  It is understandable that this play is important to the cast and director, and they are to be commended for their work to produce this complicated adaptation from the novel.  Tightening up on the dialogue is essential, Ivan Ivashkin was excellent in his narration, but sometimes lines were incoherent from some other cast members during the physical scenes.  My review was conducted on the first day of the run, and the play merely needs time to settle down to reach its full potential.

I would recommend going along to see the play at Summerhall which runs until the 11^th August.  Go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival website to book – https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%221984%22

Reviewer: Caroline Worswick

Reviewed: 3^rd August 2024

North West End UK Rating: