REVIEW: 1984 – Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

Arriving in Glasgow on a wave of five-star reviews, Headlong’s sell-out production of 1984 at the Citizens Theatre would seem to promise much, but the question is, does it deliver? The answer, thankfully, is a resounding yes.

Theatrical productions that genuinely have the power to move are becoming fewer and farther between, but Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s new adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece certainly packs an emotional punch.

Taking as its source material the Appendix of the original novel, this is the first attempt to dramatise the often missed or disregarded part of the novel in any medium.

Despite living in a world where the general public expects, if not agrees with being routinely watched and in light of the revelations of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, the story still has the power to shock, and its resonance cannot go unnoticed; the times of financial austerity and political disenchantment in which Orwell’s masterpiece was written are startlingly familiar to audiences today.

This is a production of subtle and infinite detail. The inventive and evocative staging is the perfect marriage of set, lighting and sound design and the transformation to Room 101 is particularly skilfully and chillingly achieved. The cast deliver performances universally deserving of praise, remaining utterly convincing and perfectly pitched throughout.

The genius of Orwell’s writing remains undiminished in the hands of Headlong in this sublime production.

Runs until 6th September

This review was originally written for and published by The Public Reviews here