This is a review of the script and the play I saw on 28 March 2014 at the Almeida Theatre, London.

This was the last of the eight plays I saw on my trip to London, and I was fortunate to get a last minute ticket before it closed at the Almeida Theatre in Islington on the day I left. (Fortunately it will open at the Playhouse Theatre near Trafalgar Square on 28 April). It was searing, creepy as hell, and definitely one of the best and most memorable plays I've ever seen.

The play was staged in a simple room that served multiple purposes, through which authority figures such as O'Brien (played by Tim Dutton) and others could peer in, as Winston composed his journal and Charrington (Stephen Fewell) appeared to assist him in providing him with a room free from observation, as he creates his doomed plan to turn against Big Brother with Julia (Hara Yannas).

Mark Arends was cast perfectly as Winston, a wild-eyed, gaunt and perpetually haunted figure whose passion, rage and fear burned a hole in my chest. Tim Dutton was also brilliant as O'Brien, with his 1950s style East German glasses and grey suit, as was Christopher Patrick Nolan as the sinister Martin (seen in the far left of the second image above), whose leering grin and piercing eyes as he repeatedly served victory gin to Martin and the others was delightfully disturbing. Hana Yannas was very good as Julia, although her performance was overshadowed by those of Arends, Dutton and Nolan.

1984 was performed in one act, lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes, which had me on the edge of my seat and fully engaged from the opening scene to the end. It was the most suffocating, menacing and powerful theatre experience I can remember, and I definitely want to see it again later this year, after I read the novel. ( )