THE REAL BIG BROTHER RETURNS!
Brace yourself for an electrifying theatrical experience, 1984 is back, and it’s more terrifyingly relevant than ever. Shake & Stir Theatre Co has announced a bold, high-impact stage adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, set to play in Melbourne and Adelaide for strictly limited seasons as part of a major national tour.
Against the glow of towering television screens, 1984 unfolds in a world where surveillance is omnipresent, truth is rewritten, and resistance is perilous. Orwell penned his chilling vision of the future in 1948, and more than 75 years later, its themes remain disturbingly prescient – propelling the novel to the top of countless “must-read” lists.
“The parallels between Orwell’s world and our own are striking—not just in politics, but across all aspects of modern life,” says Nick Skubij, Shake & Stir Theatre Co’s Co-Artistic Director and Co-Adaptor. “His exploration of fear and control is something we were eager to bring to the stage in a way that truly grips audiences.”
However this production doesn’t just bank on 1984’s eerie foresight – it pushes the boundaries of theatrical horror.
“We wanted to stay faithful to the novel’s themes whilst honouring their inherent terror – think Big Brother meets the essence of Saw X,” Skubij teases. “This is a world where reality and nightmare blur – and no one can be trusted.”
Set in the totalitarian state of Oceania, where war never ends and the Thought Police lurk in every shadow, 1984 follows Winston Smith – an editor at the Ministry of Truth tasked with rewriting history to fit the ruling Party’s ever-changing narrative. But drunk under a delusion of privacy, he chooses to defy Big Brother, seeking love and rebellion with the enigmatic Julia. Their dangerous liaison sets off a chain of events that leads to a brutal and harrowing conclusion.
From the acclaimed team behind Animal Farm, this stage adaptation drags Orwell’s final novel kicking and screaming into the present – an unrelenting, pulse-pounding spectacle that will leave audiences breathless.
“After the overwhelming response to last year’s Frankenstein national tour, we’re thrilled to deliver another production that’s visceral, thought-provoking, and impossible to look away from,” says Skubij.
Dare to watch – but remember – Big Brother is always watching back.
Casting announcements will be made in the coming months.
For full national tour dates and tickets www.shakendstir.com.au
Shake & Stir Theatre Co presents
1984
by George Orwell
adapted by Shake & Stir Theatre Co
Adelaide Festival Centre, Dunstan Playhouse 26 – 28 June 2025
Comedy Theatre Melbourne 1 – 6 July 2025
Adaptors Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij
Director Michael Futcher
Designer Josh McIntosh
Lighting Designer Jason Glenwright
Sound Designer/Composer Guy Webster
Video Designer Craig Wilkinson
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