1984, Playhouse Theatre ****

I'm a wimp. I can't sit through any horror movie and I jump whenever a gunshot is used in the theatre. Therefore, perhaps sitting in the middle of the first row for 1984 wasn't one of my smartest ideas. I am proud to say that I managed to get through it in one piece without closing my eyes. This is a brutal adaptation of Orwell's image of dystopia. Icke and Macmillan capture the text wonderfully and it is rendered by a talented cast. Icke has a fantastic understanding of how to capture horror on stage and, whilst this isn't as layered or exhilarating as his Oresteia, the ability to create an atmosphere of fear and oppression is masterful. The idea of of the oppressive nature of the party is captured by Chloe Lamford superbly. She firstly uses a set that almost lulls the audience into a false sense of security before stripping it back to reveal a bigger and scarier reality. It is at this point that we, as audience members, are directly addressed by their actions which is made obvious by the house lights being turned on. Natasha Chivers' use of lighting allows strange and eerie trickery to occur that even kept the front row confused whilst Tom Gibbons' video design brings the art of film and uses it to a positive effect on the stage as dramatic irony for the ever- watching eye of Big Brother. This piece is made necessary in an age of surveillance and a world where a North Korea loss at the World Cup leads to 're-education'. Whilst the gimmick of the nursery rhyme feels ineffective and clichéd, it is the sole creative misstep in an impressive production.
And yet, I still left slightly frustrated. This production is far from alone and it is a subject that I get very frustrated with. Since Oppenheimer, I haven't commented about it but it has been niggling me for a long time. The lack of diversity here is noticeable. Two white, male directors are in charge of a company of white, British actors. Perhaps the production calls for a company that are identical but I mainly think this is a production from fantastic companies such as Headlong and the Almeida which produce diverse and interesting pieces from many cultures (I am not familiar with the Nottingham Playhouse's work) so it is a shame that there is no visible effort here in a production that could clearly encourage BAME actors. They're not alone with shows having their 'token' black person or having none at all and I hope this hasn't detracted from my view of what is a truly remarkable show. However, whilst I appreciate the quite brilliant production values and acting on the stage, I still feel more needs to be done here and across the West End to reflect the wonderful diversity we have in Britain.