http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Theatre-Review/1984-battersea-arts-centre
1984 - Battersea Arts Centre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
SIXTY years after its publication, Blind Summit Theatre is presenting a new adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 at Battersea Arts Centre – from December 2 to December 23, 2009 and from January 4 to January 9, 2010.
Drawing on agit-prop techniques, the company returns to a simple form of theatre making, using just cardboard props, live actors and puppetry in place of modern digital technology.
And the ensemble – Simon Scardifield, Giulia Innocenti, Josie Daxter, Robin Beer, Alice Barclay, Gergo Danka and Henry Maynard – manipulates objects, people, puppets and the set to tell the story of Winston and Julia’s dissident love affair in a futuristic totalitarian state.
The production marks a new phase in the work of Blind Summit Theatre, bringing actors and puppets together as equal elements on stage for the first time, developing the work they have done in collaboration with other theatre companies.
1984 is the latest project in a long standing relationship between Battersea Arts Centre and Blind Summit Theatre, which has borne a number of genre-breaking productions at the venue, in particular Low Life, which has not only had three sell out London runs but also toured the world with the support of the British Council.
Over the past 12 years, Blind Summit Theatre has established itself as a world leader in high quality puppetry for adult audiences. Their innovative programme of work and collaborations are helping to redefine the art-form in British Theatre today. They are particularly known for their contemporary reworking of the ancient Japanese art-form of Bunraku through collaborations with Anthony Minghella on his acclaimed production of Madam Butterfly at the ENO and the Metropolitan Opera.
Speaking about Blind Summit Theatre, David Jubb and David Micklem, Artistic Directors of BAC, said:
“Blind Summit’s puppetry is capable of mesmerising audiences. We are particularly excited to be co-producing an adaptation of Orwell’s masterpiece, a brilliant and relevant narrative that provides an exciting artistic challenge for Blind Summit. We are looking forward to welcoming audiences to catch the first London run of 1984 after a year of development through Scratch and before the show travels beyond Lavender Hill.”
George Orwell published his novel in 1949, shortly after the Second World War and just one year after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and his story is defined by the great public interest in human rights issues during this era. Moreover, the pertinence of many of Orwell’s observations has increased since the time of writing, with the UK now one of the most surveyed countries in the developed world.
In acknowledgment of the many relevant human rights themes it contains, Amnesty International is working in partnership with BAC and Blind Summit Theatre on the production.
Based on Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Copyright, 1949) by permission of the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell, 1984 is directed by Mark Down, with set and puppet design by Nick Barnes, lighting by Chahine Yavroyan, costume design by Dulcie Best and sound by the production’s composer Chris Branch.
Tickets: £16 (concessions £14 and £12), matinees £10.
Time: 7.30pm, matinees (December 3, 7, 10 and 15 and January 7 and 9) at 2.30pm.
Running Time: 2 hours 15 minutes, including interval (subject to change).
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