Customer Reviews

George Orwell's 1984: A Play

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A bastardization, this play attempts to capture the feel of Orwell's classic novel, and it fails miserably. It omits essential points of the plot and abridges several of the more important moments-- such as when Julia and Winston fall in love (a mere 1/4 page of the script). More importantly, because theater cannot "enter the internal thoughts" of characters as easily as books can (and this play has no monologs or soliloquies of that sort), the responsibility to imagine Winston's feelings lie wholly with the audience. George Orwell makes Room 101 real and terrifying; the play makes it a mockery. I would highly reccomend against this dramatization. I gave it 2 stars and not 1 because as a completely original play, it's OK. But, audiences will expect something of the caliber of Orwell's book, and this will leave them disappointed.

this play covers the main parts and plots of the book but misses more then its worth. i have done the play and read the book after words and wow. theres a diffrence there.

Winston Smith began getting tired of his regular, everyday job for working with the Party in the future of London, England. Several countries were overcome by the US and transformed into a giant country called Oceania. In this future, set in 1984, there is a system called the Big Brother that watches over all of its citizens to make sure they do not try to rebel the government and throughout the story Winston gradually turns against the government and plans to overthrow it. Along his journey he meets a woman he supposedly falls in love with which is breaking a law and meets a man named O'Brien that is said to be working against the Party. Winston knew he was doomed with a life sentence for a while and eventually gets caught by the Party and interrogated. 1984 is a very well written book filled with great characters, mystery and vivid description to keep the reader reading the story.
The main characters in this story were Winston Smith, Julia, Mr. Parsons and O'Brien. All of the characters were different in their behavior and all wanted to accomplish different things. Winston changed began the story as partially disliking the Party but kept his thoughts to himself and he changed through the story to a man with a severe hatred of the Party and tried to demolish it. Julia was a woman that lived a dangerous life and did not care about who she associated with. She had experiences with many of the members of the Party and no one had turned her in yet. Mr. Parsons was a quiet man that did what he was supposed to do without question but eventually got caught for hating the Big Brother. O'Brien was the man that turned in Winston and Julia because he was a sort of spy. He lured Winston into breaking the law and busted him.
Mystery was a main characteristic of this story because judging by characters behavior you could not guess what the consequence would be. After Winston bought the journal from the antique store it was fairly hard to see if he would get caught and arrested because buying that item was illegal. He met with a man that Winston thought opposed the government but was not sure. Not knowing who this man was, Winston still discussed plans with him about overthrowing the government and the reader would immediately begin to wonder whom this man really was. Another event was when Winston became friends with Julia, which was breaking laws so the reader would then wonder when or if the two would get caught.
George Orwell wrote this book very descriptively to show the reader everything that was occurring at that time such as talking about all of the setting, who was in the area and other important facts. One time of his great description was when Winston and Julia were alone in their bedroom above the antique store and they heard a strange but familiar voice from inside the room. The room was empty but still they heard the voice and steps approaching them. By this time the reader could picture perfectly how the two of them would be looking in all directions while a group of unknown people would be coming for them.
1984 was an over all enjoyable book to read. Page after page was filled with something new and a new event to change the outcome of the story. The reader would think one thing would occur because of the event but another event suddenly altered the fate of the first event. This book should be read by all of the readers that enjoy futuristic books dealing with a grim government and total control of the population to lead to a revolution.
- K Hurdle

Now a classic. Great book (play). We as Bedford NH high school students will produce this play during our junior year. Orwell's 1984 vs. Obama's 2009; what's the difference.

I highly recommend 1984, by George Orwell, in any edition or translation you choose, because I feel he was so very prophetic about the times in which we live. Thie book does not describe what COULD happen - it describes what HAS happened, at least, in some cases and to a certain percentage of the public. The information elite today, increasingly, is using cameras to monitor people - including - with those they target - in ALL areas of their lives. Likewise, people are alienated and rendered voiceless by this faceless elite who churns out lies and brainwashing (in my opinion) to keep them distracted and neutered. Authors names ARE being changed, gifts ARE stolen, composite characters ARE created, triple speak IS practiced, coverups ARE participated in. I know these things are true because I have seen and experienced them, as I am sure we all have, on a sliding scale. Likewise, society is dividing, more and more, into classes - those with insider information and privileges, and the masses who have "freedom" but cannot use it, and live like animals. I see this everyday. The "threat" is the hero of 1984, who dares to FEEL, speak the truth, try to escape conditioning. The villain is the machinery of the system, both in 1984 and today. A very good book on this subject (nonfiction) is Friendly Fascism, by Betram Gross - written ten years ago, and, in my opinion, an understatement of what is occurring, but nonetheless brilliant and illuminating.

I highly recommend 1984, by George Orwell, in any edition or translation you choose, because I feel he was so very prophetic about the times in which we live. This book does not describe what COULD happen - it describes what HAS happened, at least, in some cases and to a certain percentage of the public. The information elite today, increasingly, is using cameras to monitor people - including, with those they target, in ALL areas of their lives. Likewise, people are alienated and rendered voiceless by this faceless elite who churns out lies and brainwashing (in my opinion) to keep them distracted and neutered. Authors names ARE being changed, gifts ARE stolen, composite characters ARE created, triple speak IS practiced, coverups ARE participated in. I know these things are true because I have seen and experienced them, as I am sure we all have, on a sliding scale. Likewise, society is dividing, more and more, into classes - those with insider information and privileges, and the masses who have "freedom" but cannot use it, and live like animals. I see this everyday. The "threat" is the hero of 1984, who dares to FEEL, speak the truth, try to escape conditioning. The villain is the machinery of the system, both in 1984 and today. A very good book on this subject (nonfiction) is Friendly Fascism, by Betram Gross - written ten years ago, and, in my opinion, an understatement of what is occurring, but nonetheless brilliant and illuminating