1984 by George Orwell – Newcastle

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 Newcastle for a strictly limited season 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. 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. Dare to watch - but remember - Big Brother is always watching back.