REVIEW: George Orwell's 1984 An immersive experience, at Hackney Town Hall 1 October - 22 December 2024

Photo credit: Maggie Jupe



'Perhaps they were never sincere in the first place' ★★

Big Brother loves you. We don't betray each other. We only seek to unite.

This is the second year for Pure Expression's 1984 immersive production and once again Hackney Town Hall serves as a beautiful backdrop to the dystopian Ministry inside the nation of Oceania. One key tip I would ask of you is to arrive early and make good use of the bar as actors, donning SS-esque casual chic attire, remind you that all drinks must be consumed quickly before our "assessment" commences. This does however quickly play into the urgency and paranoia of the setting nicely, giving audiences a taste of the Part's constant pressure. The venue certainly wows you the moment you enter its central atrium. Rows of red banners ladened with the party's insignia and an impressive audio-visual display on a 3 story projection set an atmosphere of control and unease. A mess of television cameras covered a small stage, where I couldn't help but think of the conspiracy theory of the stages of Apollo 11 moon landings. An epicentre where I'm sure such history-altering/erasing acts would most surely take place. 

The audience is given a party member badge and numbers when they enter the venue and are welcomed as thus as comrades to enlist as potential members of the party. After a rather muted but I'm sure very rousing mini concert by two party loyalists singing patriotic songs the action starts with an incredible use of the building's glass elevator at the back of the atrium. It likely symbolises the hierarchy and the pervasive control of the society of Oceania. The story continues as audiences are ushered upstairs to the council chamber. There we meet O'Brien (played callously by Dominic Carter) who greets new members with an avuncular reception. He then proceeds to provide an incredible amount of context squeezed into a lecture of about 20 minutes. Intended for anyone who may not be familiar with the story or the world of 1984 it is a nice respite to catch up on any key plot points but for fans of Orwell's work, this will come as a disappointment as large points have been compressed into this 75-minute show for brevity. It feels like I was less 'immersed' in the world but more shown the plot from afar. 

Once the first assessment was over the audience are then shown to the 'observation room' (which was back to the central atrium again) where the leads of Winston (Joe Anderson) and Julia (Neetika Knight) were introduced. For most of the rest of the show, the story of their courtship is captured in short flashback scenes monitored and recorded using boom mics and television cameras by the party members. The impressive use of the space did give the couple's fruitful and clandestine love affair a sense of cruel irony and inevitability as they were never and never have been allowed to enjoy the pleasures of freedom and liberty they desperately wished which I will say is affecting. You will get a pretty dumb deal if you enter the atrium last as it is a struggle to see past bodies and the media paraphernalia to get a decent view. There absolutely feels like a disconnect between the audience and the characters on the stage, but I can't help but feel if this was the director Jack Reardon's deliberate intention, as ultimately there is a struggle to empathise as we find out by the end that perhaps they were never sincere in the first place. 

Certainly, the best part of the show is the venue. It's particularly striking, considering its historical significance and architectural grandeur adding a layer to the dystopian narrative. The 1937 Art Deco building is the perfect setting for the show's 75^th anniversary since its inception but I can't help but feel like this was all veneer novelty for the gaping holes they missed for the expense of feeling like you are being controlled and monitored in the world of Big Brother. 

George Orwell’s 1984 A Unique Theatre Experience 

By Pure Expression

Directed by Jack Reardon

1st October to 22nd December 

From £24.50 to £49.50

75 minutes 

 Box Office https://immersive1984.com/