A NEW adaptation of the dystopian novel 1984 is now running in Malvern as part of a UK tour.

Written by Ryan Craig, directed by Lindsay Posner and starring Mark Quartley, Keith Allen, Eleanor Wyld and David Birrell, the play is running in Malvern until October 5.

1984 was originally published in 1949 and is one of the most influential dystopian novels ever written. It depicts a society under the influence of mass surveillance and totalitarianism ruled by a dictatorial leader known as Big Brother.

It's a challenge to adapt such an iconic novel for the stage, but Ryan Craig and Lindsay Posner give Orwell's thought-provoking and chilling story a brilliant theatrical re-telling. The author's original unsettling vision is fully realised, but with creative twists that make it engaging as a play.

The play does not stray much from the original story, apart from starting with a flash forward which builds suspense throughout the first act.

The play begins with Winston (Quartley) confessing to being a "thought criminal" before flashing back to the beginning of the story, showing us the bleakness of his life at work and at home.

He soon meets Julia (Wyld) and the pair fall in love, pursuing a forbidden romance. But Winston and Julia are caught out after being tricked by O'Neill (Allen) and both end up locked up to be tortured.

Mark Quartley and Eleanor Wyld as Winston and JuliaMark Quartley and Eleanor Wyld as Winston and Julia (Image: Simon Annand) The second act kicks off with Winston in a cell, with the cast proceeding to depict a disturbing sequence of torture scenes.

It eventually becomes clear that Winston's spirit has been broken, in a bleak ending that sees him released and re-integrated with the oppressive society.

Keith Allen and Mark Quartley as O'Neill and WinstonKeith Allen and Mark Quartley as O'Neill and Winston (Image: Simon Annand) Writer Ryan Craig’s recent work includes Charlotte and Theodore, which received its world premiere at the Ustinov Studio in February 2023, while director Lindsay Posner's has recently worked on the West End transfers of Noises Off and A View From The Bridge.

Praise also goes to the creative team, including Justin Nardella (set, costume and video designer), Paul Pyant (lighting designer) and Giles Thomas (sound designer), Stanley Orwin-Fraser (associate video designer), Ginny Schiller (casting director), George Jibson (associate director) and Lorelei Cairns (assistant designer).

The best thing about the staging was the screen on the stage that showed video clips throughout, and thought this really added to the feeling of relentless surveillance. There was even a live CCTV feed of the audience before the show and during the interval, again heightening the overarching themes of the story.

The whole cast was excellent and received a standing ovation at the end. Quartley was particularly impressive and convincing as Winston.

All in all, this thoroughly engrossing play is a successful page-to-stage adaptation, albeit a tragic story.

I also generally enjoyed my visit to Malvern Theatres. I hadn't been there in several years, and appreciated the easy walking distance to large car parks and the range of refreshments on offer. I had a Pepsi Max during the performance and chocolate ice cream in the interval, but there were plenty of alcohol drinks and hot food options on offer too.

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There is still time to see 1984 in Malvern, or at any of the other upcoming tour dates:

  • October 8-12: Lighthouse Poole
  • October 15-19: Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
  • October 22-26: Cambridge Arts Theatre
  • October 29-November 2: Brighton Theatre Royal
  • November 12-16: Richmond Theatre
  • November 19-23: Liverpool Playhouse

The play premiered at the Theatre Royal Bath last month, opening to excellent reviews with the Times describing it as "a clever take on Orwell's classic".