Hackney Town Hall isn’t exactly somewhere you’d expect a fully staged production to take place. However, this newest iteration of 1984 throws all conventions out the window in this semi-immersive rebirth of the acclaimed novel by George Orwell. Taking place in the largest hall of the building as well as the voting chamber, this show makes a vast amount of sense to take place in such a location, however, one can’t help but wonder if immersive theatre is becoming somewhat of a gimmick.
Set in a dystopian future where Big Brother rules all, citizens must comply with the rules of the above power in order to survive. Focusing on themes of power, freedom, censorship and surveillance, the story is largely a cultural critique of what it means to have autonomy in your own life. Taking place over 2 spaces, a large hall and the council chamber, the audience is given some small props and taken between the spaces, which does make sense in line with the themes, as the audience are physically situated within a space of governance. Ultimately though, the immersive element feels like somewhat of a stretch. When moving between the rooms in a more promenade style, little is done to maintain any tension and resets the audience, taking some time to get back into the dystopia. Little consequence comes from our actions, the audience address being relatively few and far between and a single audience member being selected for a key moment at the end. For me, the act of movement does not constitute immersive and theatre is appearing to become increasingly more liberal with this word, potentially to its demise.
Also on the uprise is the use of cameras in theatre, and this production is no different, however it makes a fantastic amount of sense. Cast onto the large wall behind, the ensemble operates cameras documenting the stage action. The infamous saying ‘Big Brother is watching you’ is emphasised as not only do we voyeur on the action on stage, but it is also digitised for dramatic sake and no detail goes unnoticed. Boom microphones are also held above the main cast throughout, used as a visual reminder of nothing goes unnoticed and your words can be used in whatever way those with power see fit.
The actual sound could use some work though, especially when in such a large venue which isn’t built for purpose. The audio occasionally got lost in the scope of the building, and perhaps extra speakers to create a surround sound effect could enhance the immersion. The attempt of blackout/low lighting did also struggle at times as windows were present and can risk breaking that all important tension. With such a short run time of 75 minutes there is a risk that if you pull your audience from the moment, you may struggle to get them back, so some fine tuning to best suit the environment and emphasising the aspects the creative team do have control of would be beneficial.
The cast are the standout of the show and the central performance of Winston played by Joe Anderson is triumphant and captivating. The depth achieved in what is a very emotionally charged and challenging role is electrifying and aids the story coming to life. For what the environment struggled the achieve, it is the performance which helps to maintain the most attention. Scenes of physical torture are depicted which are challenging to watch but equally the sense of torture is sustained throughout the entire performance, a vast amount being the emotional journey as his mind tested the most of anything. While the supporting ensemble cast are somewhat underused especially in part three of the three act structure (by far the longest), their commitment to the role is admirable as one was able to hold eye contact with me for a hauntinly long amount of time.
While a mostly positive experience, 1984 is a strong depiction of the story, however, fails to provide the immersive aspect promised. Although led by a strong cast, the production would benefit from a more confident use of its environment as well as engaging its audience past a fleeting question to one of the more confident audience members. Chilling in its proximity to reality, it’s the story that shines due to the strength of the writing and a blazingly committed cast. The last question to ask is, while Big Brother is always watching, is this enough to entice you to go?
1984 runs at Hackney Town Hall until 22nd December. For tickets and more information, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Maggie Jupe
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