1984
You are transported right back to 1984 as soon as you walk through the doors of Hackney Town Hall, the perfect backdrop and set for this spine chilling piece of theatre.
As you sign in you are greeted by staff in boiler suits as you are assigned a coded badge, this is pinned to you, stripping away your individuality and making you a number. There is lovely background entertainment as you grab a drink and wait for all the other audience members to arrive.
As with most immersive shows the actors, in this case weird and slightly unhinged personalities, wondered the room with little interactions with the public; we were pounced upon pretty much straight away which was highly amusing as the cast planted seeds setting up the show.
The action takes place in two main spaces and three main scenes. The use of the space is very clever as we are divided up in to smaller groups going from the court yard in to the court room as we put ourselves forward for a role at the Ministry of Truth.
Dominic Carter (O’Brien, Minister of truth official) narrates the piece and is perfectly cast in this role. There is something quite scary and sinister about Carters portrayal of O’Brien. He single handedly makes you believe the story and you can see why everyone is brainwashed with his persuasive nature. Joe Anderson (Winston) and Neetika Knight (Julia) are the main case study we are made to examine. With great chemistry this is executed very well.
'Big Brother is always watching' is repeatedly drummed in to us and it of course comes as no surprise when both Julia and Winston are carted off and tortured by the officials as their rebellious affair is exposed. Anderson gives a remarkably strong performance as Winston; you can’t help but feel sorry for him as he tries to fight against the system. Vulnerable and exposed with selected audience participation, no one is safe.
The use of multimedia is great. The live projections ensure everything can be seen by everyone at all times and reaffirm the main message of the piece. The costumes and lighting were all spot on and Jack Reardon’s direction was clear and concise.
Overall a thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking evening. Whether you are familiar with George Orwell’s original 1984 or not this is a standalone piece. I would definitely recommend popping along as it runs till 22nd December. In a world where the average Londoner is captured on camera 300 times a day this piece of theatre has never been more relevant.
This show was reviewed on the 17th October 2024 at Hackney Town Hall, London where it runs until the 22nd December 2024. For tickets visit: Immersive 1984 | Hackney Town Hall | 1 Oct - 22 Dec 2024
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Photo credit: Maggie Jupe
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