1984 at the West Yorkshire Playhouse review: A classic adaption of a timeless novel

1984, George Orwell's bleak warning of the dangers of totalitarianism, has been told hundreds of times across almost every medium. The timelessness of its message and the genius of its storytelling have appealed to theatre directors and movie producers alike, although their adoptions, while sometimes excellent, have rarely matched the raw power of the dystopian novel  Orwell wrote in 1949. And while this new retelling from the West Yorkshire Playhouse won’t stand the test of time as the novel did, it is up there with the best of the plethora of plays based on 1984.
 
The story of a Winston Smith’s vain plight against the all pervading Party in a then-future England is a tale rooted popular culture, but while previous producers have chosen to stick rigidly to the original work, this adaption enhances the story through scenes of a present-day book group discussing Winston’s diary. This works superbly, adding a layer of depth rarely seen in theatrical adoptions. It also creates a focus on today’s world of governmental spying, and suggests the question of how different our civilization is to the one Orwell described. It’s not the only thing which has been added either; technology makes an appearance in the form of innovative use of huge screens; particularly effective in scenes such as the iconic two minutes of hate.
 
This adaption’s most major improvement over its peers is in its intensity. Violent use of lighting and blitzing background drones incur a thick atmosphere that becomes almost unbearable towards the end of the performance. The use of sound and music is truly superb, the dramatic noises of gunfire and helicopter blades keeping you on the edge of your seat. Graphic images including a traumatic torture scene, as well as an impressive piece of set demolition only add to the sheer intensity, and the lack of an interval is a sublime decision that keeps the pace nauseatingly fast towards the conclusion. And as if that wasn’t enough disturbia for you, let’s not forget the shocking themes of the original source material, brilliantly recreated here. And that's all without mentioning the acting, which is, on the whole, excellent, with Tim Dutton putting in a particularly convincing performance as the backstabbing O'Brian during the notorious room 101 sequence.
 
1984 is a book held in such high regard that it’s all too easy to stick to the story without taking any risks in a production like this. But this play is different; it features innovative use of technology, new scenes and an overbearing sense of atmosphere. It’s a superb piece of theatre; a classic adaption of a classic piece of literature.

9/10