Broadway Theater Review: 1984

The cast of Broadway’s 1984 . Photo: Julieta Cervantes

1984
By George Orwell
Adapted and directed by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan

Hudson Theatre

Through Oct. 8

By Lauren Yarger

For the audience, it's an age of fake news and alternative facts, so it seems an appropriate time to bring George Orwell's class, 1984 to the stage.

The book, which has sold 30 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1949, suddenly has found itself at the top of best-seller lists in 2017 when the idea of thought suppression by a totalitarian regime suddenly doesn't seem fantasy fiction any more. Making Orwell's dystopian tale particularly relevant is that no matter which "regime" you side with (the presidencies of Barack Obama or Donald Trump) you can relate. 

This production transfers to Broadway following four successful runs in the UK, as adapted and directed by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan. It is particularly harsh and dark (if you can imagine something more somber than the original) and the theater has placed an age restriction (audience members must be at least 13) due to graphic and bloody torture scenes which have upset younger children.

Set in a bleak future, Big Brother (the government) controls every aspect of a resident's life through the planting of spying cameras and microphones in homes and offices and the use of Thought Police who coerce those who don't conform to the party's "NewSpeak" (accepted language to express thoughts). It wipes out all resistance and 1984 raises questions about truth and freedom.

Winston Smith (Tom Sturridge) works for the Ministry of Truth and has the job of making undesirable "comrades" disappear as though they never existed by eliminating all mention of them in news articles, internet postings and official documents. He hears about a resistance movement and wants to join. He starts recording his rebellious thoughts in a secret diary, which will mean his death if discovered.

He begins an illegal relationship with co-worker Julia (Olivia Wilde, making her Broadway debut) and they meet O'Brien (the always excellent Reed Birney), who gives Winston a copy of a book written by the opposition leader explaining the real meanings of the slogans "War is Peace," "Freedom is Slavery" and "Ignorance is Strength."

But not everything is as it seems (how can one know what the truth is when it keeps changing?) and Winston must discover whom he can trust and just how far he is willing to go to speak what he believes to be the truth in the face of torture and his own worst fears.

The story is riveting, not so much for Orwell's plot itself, but because it generates the unpleasant realization for us that this story is not far from reality in a modern culture where news headlines in a politically polarized America regularly report hatred and boycotts of individuals and businesses that don't conform with thoughts currently held as "politically correct." Newspapers and Broadcasters with political leanings simply don't report events they don't like, or report only the parts they want the public to know, or color the "facts" they report to malign politicians they don't favor. Then a few days later they say that what they reported wasn't so. 

Meanwhile, expression of thought --- particularly if you are a Christian, or a defender of the right of citizens to bear arms, for example, is attacked daily in society and officially through the court system. Everyone is so afraid of offending anyone and being the target of hatred that no one will stand up and speak the truth.  In addition, those who fear the current White House administration will erode laws put in place to protect the rights of same-sex marriage, for example, will relate to Big Brother's controlling whether Winston and Julia can be in love. 

These are scary times and it is no wonder that people who remember this Orwell classic are demanding it at their local bookstores for another look. One wonders if the modern Ministry of Truth -- those who are selecting "truth" and rewriting the history that is taught to children in public schools -- even allow a copy of 1984 on the shelf (and Winston's diary, which is regarded as fiction in the play, will be eliminated in truth.)

Icke and Macmillan make good use of large screens for video projections (designed by Tim Reid), so in a way, the audience gets to be Big Brother.  In addition, sound effects (design by Tom Gibbons) that have people jumping out of their seats and precision lighting (design by Natasha Chives) combine to create the ability for well executed time jumps where people seem to appear and disappear on the bleak set designed by Chloe Lawford, who also designs the costumes.

This limited run plays at the newly restored Hudson Theatre, 139-141West 44th St., NYC. Performances (through Sept. 2 are Mondays through Thursdays at 7 pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 5 and 9 pm (times change for the rest of the run, so check the website). Tickets are $35-$324: revisedtruth.com; 855-801-5876.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:
-- Age Restriction Policy: No theatergoers born after 2004 will be admitted to 1984. Audience members must be age 13 years or older to enter the Hudson Theatre.

-- Graphic torture and blood.

Note: the theater was FREEZING the day I attended. Be sure to bring a sweater or jacket.

100 minutes with no intermission. There is no late seating.