Fringe: 1984
Assembly Roxy - 28/08/23
This Edinburgh Fringe season I’ve been fortunate enough to discover an outstanding adaptation of George Orwell’s famous masterpiece, ‘1984’. I’m compelled to share my thoughts and spread the word about those involved in this captivating work of art. It takes the audience on a dark, spine-chilling journey into Orwell’s dystopian world, where an oppressive and power-hungry government, known as “The Party”, spies on its people’s every move and imposes its impossibly strict regime over their lives, creating a joyless, bleak existence where refusal to comply with its doctrines is a death sentence.
The mood is set with an eerily beautiful rendition from Estelle Mey of the ‘Oranges and Lemons’ nursery-rhyme before the audience is catapulted into an immersive, shock-to-the-system rollercoaster ride that had me on the edge of my seat. It is one of the most heightened, intense and awe-inspiring theatre experiences I’ve ever had. Sat right in the front row, mere paces away from the cast, I felt I was truly in the room, an onlooker in the real situation as the tragedy unfolds, watching helplessly as the protagonist, Winston, (played by Orion Powell), is tortured, humiliated and broken down, the emotions coursing through and spilling out of him. I could feel both his pain and his determination. It felt hyper-real, and I wanted to help him, whilst simultaneously looking on in morbid fascination as the corrupt, authoritarian O’Brian (Daniel Llewelyn-Williams), a spy of The Party who deceitfully gained Winston’s trust, steadily breaks down his defences and morale to make him submit to The Party’s brainwashing system.
Powell’s performance was impeccable - anguished, raw and believable. A reviewer on the Fringe website said that depicting being tortured is “the easiest to play for an actor”, but it was beyond just screaming in pain. His facial expressions, tone of voice, shaking, body-language, movement on stage and depiction of sheer hopelessness and agony in subtle ways in The Ministry Of Love made me hold my breath and my heart pound in my chest. I was impressed too at how physically resilient Powell was, allowing himself to be manhandled and thrown around onstage. I worried for his safety at times, which goes to show how convincing and genuine these scenes came across. It must have been exhausting doing that every night and I commend him for putting so much of himself into the performance, both emotionally and physically, unafraid to be vulnerable on multiple levels before the audience in such a small intimate venue.
Llewelyn-Williams was also perfect for the role of O’Brian. Brought in at the last minute after the original actor had to step out, he met the rest of the cast only one day before the debut performance. As a result, he had to read his lines from an iPad, but if the show was audio only I would never have guessed it. He read so confidently and smoothly, embodying his character and projecting his voice clearly, as though he had had far more time to practice than he did. I admired his ability to be so active onstage, moving around and interacting with Powell physically without dropping the iPad or breaking character. He gave a strong, commanding performance, convincingly emanating evil and power.
The other on-stage cast members (Mike Keegan and Camber Sands) were also strong performers, supporting the leads flawlessly, adding their own unique flair. The script successfully brought the plot, characters and mood of the iconic novel from page to stage. The scenes of Winston’s memories with Julia (Estelle Mey), the girl he had a forbidden love affair with (going against the draconian rules of The Party) were conveyed through film, giving a hybrid cinema and theatre experience. The two mediums gelled well without feeling disjointed and the screen element was apt, since “telescreens” are such an important theme of ‘1984’. It also made clear these were flashbacks, so the going back and forward in time wasn’t confusing.
Mey’s relaxed depiction of Julia exuded a quiet confidence and warmth towards Winston. Her elegant French accent with Powell’s soft Irish lilt and Llewelyn-Williams’ bold well-spoken English made for an eclectic contrast of sounds and nationalities so that each character stood out all the more in their own right.
All in all, I was enchanted by this play; so much so that I went again, getting even more out of it the second time. I noticed subtleties that had escaped me on the first viewing and saw some scenes in a new light. If these talented actors bring back ‘1984’ again I highly recommend you see it for yourself (and anything else they are part of). To quote the book, “Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else”. This rings true. I felt as if I transcended reality, transported into a stark, thrilling nightmare from beginning to end. I left the theatre still high on adrenaline with my head spinning in the best way possible. This was a performance Orwell himself would have applauded.
