Review: 1984

By Bryan Lower

It has been a long time since I’ve read George Orwell’s 1984 and even longer since I’ve seen the movie. Yes, I watched the movie before I read the book. Sue me. For that reason, it is impossible for me to remember scenes from the book without evoking images from the film. The two are inexorably tied together in my mind. The dreariness and starkness of the film hit the right notes. I felt that the spirit of the book, and Orwell’s message, was driven home.

Staging 1984 as a play seems like a problematic venture. In a limited space with a small cast, how could the throngs of screaming crowds be played? How could the actors make us feel Winston Smith’s despair and bewilderment as he wanders through a repressed society? Before I saw the performance at the John H. Williams theater, I joked that it would be 1984: The Musical!

The set was stark, appropriate for the story. There were no throngs of angry crowds or large view screens. The walls had small windows, and the floor was recessed. Benches were arranged along the perimeter. It was obvious from the start that my “musical” shot was unfair. This was going to be a performance that would be carried by acting, not by elaborate sets or absurd gimmicks.

I don’t want to give away too much for those who have not seen it yet. It is an impressive display of acting, to say the least. We are introduced to Winston as a prisoner in shackles. He remains chained to the floor for most of the play, yet the audience is taken on the journey of his life. We see the crowds, Big Brother, the news reports, and the war. It is all there, as vivid as it was in the film, but it is not delivered in such a literalist way.

The Performing Arts Center website gives credit to Michael Gene Sullivan, Tim Robbins, and the Actors’ Gang for the production. They deserve high praise. It is risky to adapt a well-known and well-loved classic. Purists will criticize any failure to faithfully interpret the original. The stage production of 1984 successfully navigated those treacherous waters. Both newcomers to Orwell’s work and old fans will come away satisfied.

Tickets are available at the PAC website (http://www.tulsapac.com/). It runs April 8-10, 2008. Tickets are $29, and $5 for students. This is not a show for the kids. The show has nude scenes, violence and torture. Leave the kiddies with a babysitter.

© 2008 r. m. lipperd

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