SIFA 2018: Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s 1984 (Preview)

George Orwell’s literary masterpice 1984 remains one of the most iconic depictions of a dystopian society. Despite being written in 1949, the book’s narrative has been shockingly prophetic, raising the idea of a society increasingly under surveillance and cults of personality.

Although there’ve been several staged adaptation produced over the years, there’s none you’ll experience quite like the version by award-winning theatremakers Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan. The award-winning Almeida Theatre associate director and acclaimed playwright have teamed up for a new version of the play, which received a nomination for Best Play at the 2014 Olivier Awards.

In 1984, we’re thrust into a nightmarish world where politics has run rampant and citizens are under the constant, watchful eye of the enigmatic Big Brother. People are arrested simply for having a ‘thoughtcrime’, illegal writings and documents are tossed into a ‘memory hole’ and 2 + 2 = 5. Terrifyingly enough, it’s a reality our modern world may come to find all too familiar, and 1984 is a play that becomes more relevant than ever in a time which often feels on the brink of falling apart.

As we follow Comrade 6079 Winston Smith attempting to navigate his own thoughts and feelings and even…love amidst this mad world, SIFA 2018’s opening show promises huge theatrical ambition, shocks and thrills, and above all, a black mirror in which to gaze upon the horrors we might unconsciously be waking up to each day. Remember: Big Brother is watching.

1984 plays at the Esplanade Theatre from 26th – 29th May. Tickets available from SISTIC