1984
Adaptation: Nelle Lee, Nick Skubij
Director: Michael Futcher
Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
July 24-26, 2025
Over 75 years since its first publication, George Orwell’s dystopian classic remains disturbingly relevant to our modern times. This is evident in Shake and Stir’s acclaimed adaptation of 1984 which returns to the stage for a national tour. This formidable performance will leave you questioning the political powers at play in our own lives.
Winston Smith, an editor at the Ministry of Truth, spends every living moment under the oppressive surveillance of Big Brother until he finds a gap in the cameras. As criticism is forbidden, Winston makes use of his hidden sanctuary to voice his resentment of the totalitarianism regime in a diary. The more he voices his discontent, the more he is compelled to find others who share his hatred of the Party. However, in a world where anyone could be a member of the Thought Police, it is impossible to know whom to trust.
The stage is dominated by huge telescreens that loom over the characters, reflecting the omnipresent surveillance of the regime. Director Michael Futcher uses these telescreens to great effect, both as surveillance cameras and propaganda machines. In the age of big tech and social media, these screens echo the surveillance and media narratives we accept in our own lives.
Another of the play’s compelling themes is the destruction of language and truth, and one of the more challenging aspects of the narrative to translate to the stage. Futcher effectively addresses the challenge by using the telescreens to share Winston’s internal world, while the Winston on stage must remain silent to survive. Through the screen Winston shares his concerns that the regime is altering not only day-to-day reality but also rewriting historical records to accord with the current party line.
Again, the parallels between the world of 1984 and the present day are striking. We watch on as Trump relentlessly lies in his second presidency, from falsely claiming that grocery prices are “way down” to falsely claiming that Ukraine started the war with Russia.
This powerful production is carried by a small but talented cast. Michael Whalley uses wonderful physicality to convey the terror Winston faces. Whalley brings a deep sense of fatalism to Winston. His rebellion is clouded by the belief that the Party will eventually capture him. His characterisation is in stark contrast to Julia, played with a shrewd but hopeful optimism by Chloe Bayliss. Meanwhile, Tony Cogin lends a clinical manner to O’Brien, delivering every line with measured precision.
First staged over 10 years ago, this adaptation feels more relevant than ever. It is a powerful rendition of this classic cautionary tale.
