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ed_moore's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“Once you finish this book you become a different person. You don’t feel the same. You don’t think the same. It changes everything. And it will always be true”
I am obsessed with Orwell’s story of 1984 and its themes, that’s a given, however in the past I have struggled with retellings or reimagining of it as I often feel they are just missing something, always not quite playing on the same tune of Orwell’s intentions and message. Macmillan and Icke’s stage adaptation of the story absolutely did not feel this way. It was a very metaphysical staging of the story, where time is unclear, both literally in the absence of history in Orwell’s ‘1984’ but also in the intermingling of multiple timelines across the play, entering and exiting Winston’s memory, playing with the concept of his existence and breaking the fourth wall to blame and involve the audience for a complicity to the dystopia occurring before them. It was so fast paced and cleverly done and completely hit the bleak and confusing style of ‘1984’ yet simultaneously left the idea of hope, an adaptation to Orwell’s grim telling that I felt was a clever inclusion and I was by no means opposed to, especially as it was so unclear.
Reading this play and imagining the darkness, staging and uneasy effect it would have on audiences only affirmed to me the reasons why I love this story so much and got me so so excited to hopefully work on its coming together in some means (I swear I better get some sort of involvement !!)
kimberly_levaco's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This plays biggest merits and detriments come from the fact that it is adapting great source material. And it can’t stack up to the work it’s trying to replicate.
readwithria's review
tense
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
I did not enjoy reading this. I don't think I would go see this show, even for free, unless I knew the cast. But I definitely wouldn't pay for a ticket or seek it out.
the_other_drake's review
3.0
The closest the novel ever comes to a political treatise. I’ve always thought Orwell really wanted to write a book on political theory and decided to turn it into a novel instead. Dry, but poignant.
mxjoebest's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
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