1984 - A Review

The moment the lights snapped on, the room froze. You could feel the walls closing in, the air thick with surveillance, and the tension pressing down like a living thing. Challoner’s Senior Play of 1984 didn’t just tell a story; it threw the audience straight into Orwell’s world. A bleaker, more sinister tale than preceding Challoner’s performances, this unique adaptation of the story saw the events of the novels being recreated in a prison as a method of eradicating ‘thought-crime’. 

The action started before the play had even begun, with guards at the doors bringing an authoritarian edge to this production and setting the tone for the performance ahead. Winston’s struggles felt raw and human, Julia’s rebellious energy broke through the tension, and O’Brien’s calm authority made every scene he was in feel dangerous and unpredictable. The ensemble performers worked harmoniously to make the world of 1984 feel present and oppressive, bringing George Orwell’s cautionary tale to life.

The staging, lighting and sound enabled the minimalist set design to create a feeling of confinement. In the second act, freakish props brought on by the Doctor to torture Winston were used to envelop the audience deeper into the twisted nature of Big Brother’s regime. With an atmosphere that felt as if every glance could betray you and every word could be dangerous, the months of preparation for this play unfurled opportunely.

Being part of this production gave me a new appreciation for everything that goes into bringing a play to life. It was incredible to see the culmination of the efforts we’d put in as a group; how every role interwove to project Orwell’s vision of a possible dystopian future. I was immensely grateful that I got to be part of it.

This performance was a testament to the aim of theatre to shape thinking; a call for us to be unafraid of being individual and compassionate, no matter our circumstances. After all, all individuals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Whoops… Wrong book!

Writing: Alex (Year 12)

Editing: Adam (Year 13)

Images: Miss Jones