Review: 1984 Tobacco Factory Theatre
Adapted for the stage by Nick Lane and directed by Conrad Nelson, George Orwell’s 1984 is very faithfully and very diligently brought to life.
In fact, there is very little Orwell himself could have nitpicked about. The cast of just five breathed fresh life into a sixty year old satire that continues to dominate political thinking.
Photo: Andrew Price, Carolyn Tomkinson, Chris Garner and Kate Ambler
Any parallels and oft misquoted references to contemporary society are left for the audience to draw.
This production is purely by the book, backed by the most wonderful fine art stop frame animation.
Thankfully, we are spared too much of Goldstein’s theory of Oligarchical Collectivism. From various mutterings of the audience, this appears to be where GCSE students throughout time have weakly given up and watched the film instead.
The bureaucratic collectivism and capitalism of Soviet Russia was nicely shown through the set and prop contrasts of Victory Mansions and O’Brien’s flat.
The pace is brisk and considering we know the ending already, it doesn’t flag, limp and there are no weak parts at all.
Photo: Nick Haverson surrounded by hate
Nick Haverson captured Orwell’s Winston perfectly. He carried that bruised and dented optimism that we all harbour deep down when we hope that bleak things can get better. Kate Ambler breathed life and subversive humour into Julia, providing the play’s brighter moments alongside Carolyn Tomkinson’s wonderfully chavvy and colourful proles. Chris Garner was a captivating O’Brien and Andrew Price a suitably sinister Charrington.
To cut down any further unnecessary messy use of words, the entire production was simply doubleplusgood.