Adapted by Peter Kerry from George Orwell’s novel, George Orwell’s dystopian vision of the future (from a 1948 perspective) has in many ways proven to be one of the most prophetic books ever written, disturbingly becoming ever more relevant with cameras watching our every move and new laws effectively creating thought crimes. The novel is quite short with a fairly simple plot and relatively few main characters, at first glance suggesting it would be ideal for stage adaptation. However, Orwell scarcely wasted a line describing everything about life in his dark new world, from the massive faceless institutions to the repressed, insular lives of individuals so creating a dramatic challenge in compressing all this for the stage.
Writer Peter Kerry remained faithful to the novel in telling the story with all key drama points and all main characters. The opening of the play during Hate Week took the bold step of audience participation in singing the Airstrip One national anthem (to ‘Jerusalem’) during a simulated television show in which the audience became ‘the audience’. The scene was quickly established that this was a brain-washed society, fed a sugar-coated false image of reality, providing an effective contrast to the next scene where Winston Smith boldly confided to his diary his inner-most thoughts about the government and Big Brother. The only fault was that the game show host was just a bit too jovial for 1984’s world and Big Brother himself would probably have disapproved.
Lost in Transit’s production used a range of disturbing and eerie sound devices with minimalist lighting to create the aura Orwell’s vision. Translucent screens were multi-purposed, effectively showing projections of the mind-numbing work of operatives in Big Brother’s world as data was constantly processed and history re-written whilst serving as walls and barriers, both physical and symbolic, which really brought home the claustrophobic, narrow world of life on Airstrip One.
Director Jonny Cordingley avoided the use of both music and video, relying on stark and powerful imagery to bring over the cold, austere world of ‘1984’; a recurring image of rotating, concentric hexagons being particularly effective as Big Brother’s all-seeing eye. The generally darkened stage typically lit by just two or three lights created a prison-like atmosphere and the clearing of all the screens for Winston and Julia’s times of respite away from the city brought over the sense of freedom they were experiencing. A novel feature was the frequent use of metal folding chairs, serving as manacles when Winston was interrogated and frequently thrown around as a metaphor for how that state treated its citizens (also snapped shut to suggest locks being turned!).
The five strong cast each played a main character plus minor roles, with the translucent scenes used imaginatively to suggest distant action or speakers before a crowd. Rupert Hill gave a strong performance as Winston Smith (through curiously was fully bearded considering his repeated request for razorblades). Katie Marie Carter made a superb transition from the Anti-Sex League zealot to the liberated girl in whom Winston found solace and hope.
Christine Mackie remained remarkably composed and pleasant during Winston’s torture scene , bringing over the state’s indifference to suffering, detached in in its own dogma. Jordan Reece as Winston’s friend Parsons provided the only real bits of comic relief, bizarrely proud of his own children for denouncing him and somehow seeing the best in the worst of situations.
Danny Child as the benign shop owner Charrington was the only character allowed to wear anything colourful (excepting the Anti-Sex league sash) and provided a nicely detached countenance in contrast to the stern countenance of the numerous authority figures (also playing the submissive Syme). This was a creative and powerful production which will not disappoint any purists of Orwell’ classic work whilst being sufficiently modern in feel to suggest the very real relevance of ‘1984’ in today’s world.
Various performances around the North West - https://lostintransittheatre.com
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
On - 23.10.26
