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1984

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By George Orwell
A New Adaptation Created by Robert Icke & Duncan Macmillan
Presented in association with Headlong, Almeida Theatre, & Nottingham Playhouse

April, 1984. Comrade 6079, Winston Smith, thinks a thought, starts a diary, and falls in love. But Big Brother is always watching, and the door to Room 101 can swing open in the blink of an eye. The definitive book of the 20th century is re-examined in a radical, award-winning adaptation exploring surveillance, identity and why Orwell’s vision of the future is as relevant now as ever. This ground-breaking production comes direct from the UK and an extended smash-hit run in the West End.

@americanrep  #1984play

Don’t miss the post-performance discussion series co-hosted by A.R.T. and the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School. Click here for more information about dates and speakers. 

Need to know

There is no guarantee that standing room will be available for sold-out performances however, if it becomes available a limited number of standing room tickets may be sold in person for select shows on the day of each show at 12 noon. The number of standing room tickets will not be known in advance of the ticket services office opening at 12PM. Please call our Ticket Services office with any ticket related questions at 617.547.8300. Hours are: Tuesday-Sunday, Noon-5PM.

Read more

Click here to read the program note by show creators Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan. 

Click here to read the show’s program. 

Click here to read more about the show in our spring Guide

Click here to view the full 1984 Educational Toolkit.

Notable dates

ASL Dates

March 1, 7:30PM – March 5, 2PM

Audio Described Dates

March 3, 7:30PM – March 6, 2PM

Open Captioned

Feb. 25, 7:30PM – Feb. 28, 2PM

Age Appropriateness

Recommended for grade 10 and up or ages 15+

This production contains loud noises including gun shots, bright and flashing lights that create a strobe-like effect, and scenes that some audience members may find distressing. In-class preparation and/or consultation with the A.R.T. Education Department is encouraged prior to attendance. Please consult the 1984 Toolkit at
americanrepertorytheater.org/toolkits for further details.

Discussions

1984 Discussions & Surveillance Cinema Series

Discussion Series

Over the run of 1984, A.R.T. will co-host with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School a series of special panel discussions around questions of surveillance, totalitarianism, and the role of technology in popular uprisings. These discussions are free and open to the public. Click here for more information about dates and speakers.

Surveillance Cinema Series

Tuesday, February 9 – Thursday, February 11

Surveillance Cinema Repertory Series

Co-Presented with the Brattle Theatre

In collaboration with the American Repertory Theatre’s run of 1984, The Brattle Theatre offers this series of films examining different aspects of life under the watchful eye of a ‘Big Brother.’ Click here for more information.

Press

Credits

Creative team

Cast

Parsons

Simon Coates

Parsons

Simon Coates

A.R.T.: Debut. Theater includes: Romeo & Juliet, Headlong; Translations, Arcadia, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pygmalion, Murmuring Judges, Arturo Ui, Black Snow, National Theatre; Coriolanus, The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Loveplay, Luminosity, The Taming Of The Shrew, The Comedy Of Errors, RSC; Plenty, Sheffield; The Prince of Homburg, Donmar Warehouse; As You Like It, Cheek by Jowl (Olivier Award nomination, New York Drama Desk Award nomination); Birmingham; Gate Theatre, Dublin; Hampstead; Bristol Old Vic; Chichester. TV/Film include: “Doctors,” “Holby City,” “EastEnders,” Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Beginner’s Luck.

 

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O'Brien

Tim Dutton

O'Brien

Tim Dutton

A.R.T.: Debut. West End: Dangerous Corner, Insufficiency, A Handful of Dust, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Cider with Rosie, She’s in Your Hands, London Assurance, War and Pieces, The Lucky Ones, Victory. TV/Film include: “Death in Paradise,” “DCI Banks,” “Midsomer Murders,” “New Tricks,” “A Risk Worth Taking,” “Bonkers,” “Outside the Rules,” “HMO,” “Ally McBeal,” “Thanks,” The Infiltrator, Delight, The Rendezvous, No Snow, Detonator, Terminal, The Queen of Sheba’s Pearls, Tooth, The Bourne Identity, Dead by Monday, Hard to Forget, Darkness Falls, St. Ives, Death on Everest, Tom and Viv.

 

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Charrington

Stephen Fewell

Charrington

Stephen Fewell

A.R.T.: Debut. West End: ENRON, Headlong, Royal Court; The Long and the Short and the Tall. Other theater includes: Romeo & Juliet, Paradise Lost, Headlong; The Iliad, The Odyssey, Almeida; Manchester Sound: The Massacre; Breaking The Code; The Tempest, Barbican, Palestine; Henry IV, Parts I & II, Bristol Old Vic; The Lie, King’s Head. TV/Film include: “The Courtroom” (CH4), “All Rise for Julian Clary” (BBC), Sexdrive. Radio includes: Frankenstein, Vienna, Wildthyme, Bernice Summerfield, Doctor Who. Training: Oxford University. Stephen chairs the JMK Trust for theatre directors; jmktrust.org.

 

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Martin

Christopher Patrick Nolan

A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: The Seagull, Royal Court. West End: Macbeth, BAM; War Horse, National Theatre; Stones In His Pockets. Other theater includes: Blair’s Children, Cockpit; Faith and Cold Reading, Live Theatre; Scorched, Old Vic; Twelfth Night/Macbeth, Chichester Festival Theatre; AC/DC, Alice Trilogy, Royal Court; The Water Harvest, National Theatre; Molly Sweeney, Theatr Clwyd; The Changeling & Of Mice & Men, Southwark Playhouse; Cardenio, Shakespeare’s Globe; Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Perth Rep. TV includes: "Humans,“ ”Macbeth,“ ”Titanic”.

 

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Syme

Ben Porter

Syme

Ben Porter

A.R.T.: Debut. West End: Woman in Black; Beckett; What the Butler Saw, National Theatre; The Invention of Love; Enemy of the People; The Heiress. Other theater includes: Time of My Life, Scarborough, 59E59 New York; Absurd Person Singular, Life of Riley, Scarborough, UK Tours; Orwell: A Celebration, Trafalgar Studios; The Tempest, Liverpool Playhouse; Edward II, Sheffield Crucible; Noises Off, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh; Disposing of The Body, Hampstead Theatre; Victory, Theatre de Gennevilliers, Paris; Hamlet, Greenwich Theatre. TV/Film include: "Manchild," "Casualty," "Covington Cross," "West-beach," School for Seduction, Young Blades.

 

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Winston

Matthew Spencer

Winston

Matthew Spencer

A.R.T.: Debut. Theater includes: Romeo & Juliet, Headlong; Tartuffe, Watermill Theatre Newbury, Tour; Bent, Trafalgar Studios; Nicholas Nickleby, Tour, Gielgud Theatre and Toronto; War Horse, New London Theatre; Hamlet, White Bear, Kennington; This Happy Breed, Theatre Royal, Bath; Atman, Finborough Theatre; The Busy Body, Southwark Playhouse; Sleuth, Watermill, Newbury; Macbeth, Orange Tree Theatre. TV/Film include: “My Family,” AliceThe Runner. Training: Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

 

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Mrs Parsons

Mandi Symonds

Mrs Parsons

Mandi Symonds

A.R.T.: Debut. West End: Carrie’s War, Sadler’s Wells, West End. Other theater includes: The Knitting Circle, Soho Theatre; Amazonia, Midnight Hour, Young Vic; Menopause The Musical, Shaw Theatre; Mary Poppins, Prince Edward; Thatcher’s Women, Paines Plough, Tricycle; The Miracle Plays, Oxford Stage Company; The Mystery Plays, Liverpool Playhouse, St Bartholomew’s Church; Godspell, Barbican; Zipp, Duchess; Peer Gynt, National Theatre; Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare in the Park; As You Like It, Wilbur Theatre Boston & US Tour. TV/Film include: Scrubbers (dir. Mai Zeterlin) and the award-winning Perfect Image.

 

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Julia

Hara Yannas

Julia

Hara Yannas

A.R.T.: Debut. Theater includes: The House of Bernarda Alba, Oresteia, Almeida; Mare Rider, Arcola, International Tour; Britannicus, Wilton’s Music Hall; Pericles, Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park; Uncle Vanya, Arcola, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s Globe; Tales of the Harrow Road, Soho Theatre; it felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now..., Arcola, Clean Break. TV/Film include: “The Musketeers,” “Law and Order,” “The Smoke,” “The Bible,” “Holby City,” Patient Zero. Training: LAMDA.

 

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Child

Faye Giordano

A.R.T.: Debut. Theater includes: Velveteen Rabbit (lead), Boston Center for Arts; Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Wizard of Oz, Avenue Q (voiceovers), Seacoast Repertory Theatre; Peter Pan the Musical, Prescott Park Arts Festival, several youth productions at the Leddy Center, Ogunquit Playhouse, and Patrick Dorow Productions. Faye is 8 years old and attends St. Patrick Catholic School in Portsmouth, NH.

 

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Child

Addison Oken

Child

Addison Oken

A.R.T.: Waitress (Lulu). Children's Productions: Wonka Kids (Veruca), Annie Jr. (Annie), All Newton Music School; The Sound of Music (Maria), Seussical Jr. (Horton), Needham Creative Arts. Other: Commercials (Edward Jones, Red Sox/NESN), modeling, short films. She also studies dance and in her free time enjoys reading and creative writing. 

 

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Additional staff