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Orwell's 1984. Theatre
Headlong and Nottingham Playhouse
Reality is a presentation of existence through a set of stained glass, which is relative to the build up of society. Our knowledge of ideals and perspective is not concrete but changeable as are our senses. Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, that rigorously grasps these continuous topics of discussion and endless set of questions, has recently been adapted by Headlong to the theatre.
The production used the book as a set of guidelines for the narrative, but injected scene from a future time that lingered eerily alongside the plot. Winston is dragged backwards and forwards between the world of newspeak and a book group discussing 1984 that we are led to believe is present day. Winston, like the audience, is confused and scared by what is happening to him.
The presentation of the two separate but parallel timelines makes us think that it is the character Winston going mad. Further throughout the play when we get used to this split narrative, it becomes apparent that the book club plays the part of relating Orwell’s novel to the present day. In the midst of the book club scenes we start to relate ourselves to their discussion, at which relating Orwell’s ideas to our own society.When I read the book it left me as equally as disturbed when I saw the play. Headlong’s interpretation of the novel does Orwell justice.
Penelope Cruz. 09.04.14
Richard Mosse Video Installation
The Enclave
Mosse’s presentation of war through photographs and video work is coined in the title of a series on Iraq called Theatre of War. It doesn’t seem right to put ‘theatre’ and ‘war’ together; it fuels an ethical dilemma for the viewer. Mosse seems to be able to balance his work on the fine line there is between art and representing conflict. Juxtaposing the two yet allowing them to combine through his persistence to embed himself into the area of conflict and producing aesthetically beautiful film.
‘Primal importance to me in beauty, beauty is one of the mainlines to make people feel something...it makes people sit up and listen.’
His most recent work based on conflict and war is The Enclave, a photo and video series based in the eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo. Being shown on six, very large double-sided screens, the videos are on loop. They are placed at different angles in the monumental space of the lower level Brewer Street car park in Soho. The blacked out space is totally immersive, each screen seems to float in the darkness around you creating an unnerving experience where your senses fail you. The result of this installation style is not just disorientating, but you become a part of the shadows that make up the darkness, subservient to the film.
The film itself is filmed on a 16mm colour inferred film that the US Army used to use during the early 40s. It picks up on the chlorophyll in the plants that produces an amazing florescent pink colour on all greenery. It transcends the stark footage into an ethereal and dreamlike fantasy world, where all green is pink. There is something visceral and tangible about the sugar coated landscape, where pink is the dominant colour. The fantasy is temporary, as the reality of the Congo’s corruption, death and poverty takes over. Like Mosses’ quote above beauty makes people stop and take notice. The Enclave has shed a new concern, if only a pink shaded whisper, on what is happening in the Congo.
Hattie Moir 24.04.14
