1984
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Cititour.com Review
The timely terror of living in a fascist state – one where the government makes all the rules and controls all your thoughts – is likely the raison d’etre that the recent British dramatization of George Orwell’s prophetic novel “1984” has landed at Broadway’s Hudson Theater. And without question, director-adapters Robert Icke and Duncan McMillan have done their darndest to make the work both startlingly theatrical—an area in which they succeed. But for all its gore, sound and fury, most of Sean Spicer’s press conferences are more likely to give you nightmares than this 101-minute work.
In part, the trouble with the play goes back to the source: Orwell’s novel is strong on ideas and short on narrative. And for all its prescience, Orwell’s intellectual examination of human nature proves to be primarily skin-deep. Yes, Orwell reveals a truly troubling truth about out basest instincts towards the end of the work, but it’s one you have probably already admitted to yourself.
Sadly, characterization isn’t Orwell’s strong suit, and in their desire to be faithful to the novel, Icke and McMillan err by not giving more weight to our hero, Winston Smith (played with suitable intensity by Tom Sturridge), a government worker who begins to have strong anti-government thoughts. Or is he going mad? Are the various figures we meet on Chloe Lanford’s deceptively simple set (and depicted by such fine actors as Wayne Duvall, Nick Mills and Cara Seymour) co-workers? Figures of Winston’s imaginations? Ghosts from the past? Sadly, though, Winston isn’t Hamlet (although he is an everyman figure) and this dialogue isn’t Shakespeare. Indeed, the first third of the play is pointedly disorienting and extremely confusing (even if you’ve read the novel recently), which runs the risk of alienating audiences rather than drawing them in.
Our interest peaks a bit when we learn more about one of those figures: Julia (an unrecognizable Olivia Wilde, doing excellent work here), a waitress who turns out to be a fellow rebel, and who almost instantly falls in love with Winston. While the couple are always aware that they are probably being watched by the “thought police” – “We are the dead” both repeat ad nauseum – they snatch a little happiness in a bedroom lent to them by antique shop owner Charrington (Michael Potts). And as in many a love story, Sturridge and Wilde’s scenes alone (presented live on film in one of the directors’ many clever touches) are among the show’s most involving.
The plot further twists when the pair is taken into the confidence of O’Brien (a coldly calculating Reed Birney), who passes himself off as a revolutionary leader, but who turns out to be a ruling party bigwig. Barely there for the first hour of the play, O’Brien dominates the drama’s final section as he cruelly tortures Winston in the very stark Room 101 (a most impressive set change), determined to “cure” him. Unsurprisingly, Birney and Sturridge prove to be well-matched sparring partners, but even if you haven’t read the book, you can be pretty sure who will win this battle to the almost-death.
As to the ultimate question: Are we living in “1984” (even if the calendar says 2017)? That’s yours to decide.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.revisedtruth.com
Cast
Tom Sturridge, Olivia Wilde, Reed Birney, Wayne Duvall, Carl Hendrick Louis, Nick Mills, Michael Potts, Cara Seymour
Open/Close Dates
Opening 6/22/2017
Closing 10/8/2017
Preview Open/ Preview Close Dates
Preview Opening 5/18/2017
Closing Open-ended
Box Office
855 801 5876
Theatre Info
Hudson Theatre
139-141 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
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