20 – 28 September

A new stage production of 1984 to open in Bath prior to a UK tour marking the 75^th anniversary of the publication of George Orwell’s ground-breaking novel adapted by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner.

The production stars Keith Allen (Steeltown Murders, Marcella, The Pembrokeshire Murders), Mark Quartley (Inside Man, The Tempest, RSC), Eleanor Wyld (Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare’s Globe) and David Birrell (Bodies, King John, RSC).

On 4^th April 1984, Winston Smith, comrade number 6079, starts a diary, a simple act which puts his life in jeopardy. A clandestine love affair with co-worker Julia further enrages the authorities, but can they truly trust each other? And what of the mysterious O’Brien, will he help them overthrow the regime, confront them with their most terrifying fears, or worse…?

George Orwell’s masterpiece creates a world where every action is painstakingly monitored and controlled by a powerful regime, where independent thought and choice are relics of an almost-forgotten past. Post-1984 we live in a world where the terms ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Room 101’ are in popular use, but both were born out of George Orwell’s nightmarish novel, published in 1949, with its futuristic world of all-seeing telescreens, Thought Police and insidious Ministries of Truth, Love, Peace and Plenty.

Hailed by The Times and Daily Telegraph as one of the country’s Top Ten Theatre Events this autumn, Ryan Craig’s thrilling new multi-media version of Orwell’s chillingly prescient novel promises to be one of the most exciting and talked about productions of the year.

Keith Allen stars as O’Brien. His many screen credits include the roles of Dai Williams in the 2023 mini-series Steeltown Murders, Alan Summers in Marcella, John Cooper in the 2021 mini-series The Pembrokeshire Murders, Tony Whitman in Bodies, Victor in My Mad Fat Diary, Dexter in Roger Roger, Detective Inspector Hale in The Body Farm, Rex in Making Out and the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. He has played guest roles in numerous primetime dramas including Agatha Raisin and Marple. His film credits include The Buckingham Murders, The Others, Gaslight, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Eddie The Eagle, 24 Hour Party People, Shallow Grave and De-Lovely in which he played the role of Irving Berlin. Keith has performed at Bath’s Theatre Royal previously in 2022 in The Homecoming, with his many theatre credits also including Pinter 3: Landscape/A Kind of Alaska in the West End; The Homecoming and David Hare’s Murmuring Judges at the National Theatre, and The Celebration and The Room, directed by Harold Pinter, at the Almeida Theatre and in New York.

Mark Quartley, who stars as Winston, has performed at the Theatre Royal Bath previously in The Tempest in 2012. His many stage performances also include in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Shakespeare’s Globe; Measure for Measure and Written on the Heart for the RSC in the West End; and Private Peaceful in the West End, on tour and for BBC Radio 4. His television credits include The Ipcress File, Tell Me Everything, Inside Man, Grantchester, Lucky Man and Vera.

Eleanor Wyld stars as Julia. Her theatre credits include Leopoldstadt and Don Juan in Soho in the West End; Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare’s Globe; Don Quixote at the Royal Shakespeare Company and in the West End; with other RSC productions including Dr Faustus, Hamlet and The Alchemist. Her screen credits include The Critic, Trigonometry, Thirteen, Father Brown, Holby City, Black Mirror and Honest. Eleanor also writes for television.

Parsons is played by David Birrell, whose theatre credits include numerous productions for the RSC ranging from Hamlet to Love’s Labour’s Lost and Moby Dick; The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for Birmingham Rep; South Pacific at Chichester Festival Theatre and on national tour; Oh! What A Lovely War at the National Theatre, and his award-winning performance in Sweeney Todd for Leeds Playhouse, Manchester Royal Exchange, Welsh National Opera and National Theatre of Scotland. His film and television credits include Bodies, Silent Witness, Vera, King John, Holy Flying Circus, Midsomer Murders and Buried. The Ensemble are Niamh Bennett, Lewis Hart and Paul Sockett.

Multi-media appearances will also feature a host of actors on screen in the production, including Nicholas Woodeson as Big Brother, alongside Doña Croll, Finbar Lynch, Mathew Horne, Oscar Batterham, Zubin Varla, Martin Marquez, Janie Dee and Asia-Sky Fenty.

Director Lindsay Posner returns to Bath fresh from the West End transfers of A View From The Bridge and Noises Off, and the sell-out success of The Deep Blue Sea, which transfers to the West End in 2025. One of the UK’s most accomplished directors, he has received plaudits for numerous productions in the West End, at the Royal Court, National Theatre, RSC and London’s Old Vic. His recent credits at the Theatre Royal Bath also include Noises Off in the Main House and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Lover/The Collection and Farewell Mister Haffmann at the Ustinov Studio.

George Orwell (1903 – 1950) was a novelist, essayist and critic best known for his novels Animal Farm, published in 1945, and Nineteen Eighty-Four, published in 1949. Orwell’s work notoriously addressed major political movements of his times, including imperialism, fascism and communism. His other novels include Burmese Days, A Clergyman’s Daughter, Keep the Aspidistra Flying and Coming Up for Air. His non-fiction includes Down and Out in Paris and London, The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia.

George Orwell’s 1984 appears at Theatre Royal Bath from Friday 20^th to Saturday 28^th September. To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Box Office on 01225 448844 or visit theatreroyal.org.uk

Photo credit: Simon Annand