Created and
adapted by shake and stir theatre co.
Adapters: Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij
Director: Michael Futcher
Designer: Josh McIntosh
Lighting Design: Jason Glenwright
Sound Design: Guy Webster
Media Producers: optical bloc
Queanbeyan
Performing Arts Centre 30th April to 3rd May 2014
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
George
Orwell’s deeply depressing novel “1984” about a nation perpetually at war, where
cameras watch every move and Thought Police roam the streets, has never been
among my favourite reading, so I was not particularly looking forward to
attending this performance. Having seen shake and stir theatre company’s
previous youth theatre production of Orwell’s “Animal Farm” I knew that the
production would at least be ‘interesting’
, but from the very first moments, bombarded by huge deliberately scratchy television
images, my interest was immediately engaged and for the rest of the 90 minute performance never
flagged for a moment.
 |
| Bryan Probets as Winston Smith |
This powerful
stage adaptation by Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij is remarkable in the way it
captures the horror and hopelessness of a world where every movement is watched
and any spark of individuality ruthlessly crushed. Lee and Skubij are also part of the superb five-member ensemble which makes up the cast, along
with Ross Balbuziente, Bryan Probets and David Whitney, who, between them,
people the stage with a seeming multitude of characters so that the audience
often feels it is watching an epic
rather than an ensemble of just five actors.
The leading
character, Winston Smith, whose job it is to rewrite history to align the past
with the current political agenda of the ruling party and its illusive leader,
Big Brother, is startlingly portrayed by Bryan Probets in a remarkably intense
and committed performance. When Winston falls in love with the mysterious
Julia, a warm and sensitive portrayal by Nelle Lee, their forbidden love affair
provides the only hints of hope or humanity in the desolate environment of the decaying
concrete desolation of Oceania. Therefore when, under torture by the loathsome
O’Brien (David Whitney), Winston betrays Julia, the affect is devastating.
 |
| Bryan Proberts and Nelle Lee |
Director,
Michael Futcher, takes full advantage of the opportunities offered by Josh
Mackintosh’s cleverly flexible set-design capturing the bleak concrete decay of
Oceania, dominated by a huge plasma screens. These screens allow the audience
access into the innermost thoughts of the unfortunate Winston, while the set continually
provides the audience with unexpected and intriguing surprises. Though
gruelling to watch, his staging of the torture scenes with its live rats is
masterly, as is his control of the interaction between the actors and the
filmed sequences.
Even though this
is a touring production, the detail and commitment of the performances, as well
as the meticulous mounting of the production is nothing less than astonishing. Shake and stir theatre company have set the
bar high with this production of “1984”. One looks forward to their next
production, an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s gothic masterpiece “Wuthering
Heights” with great anticipation.
