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Headlong and Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company presents 1984 by George Orwell at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff |
One of the most influential novels in recent history, George Orwell’s 1984 will be coming to Sherman Theatre, Cardiff from 5-9 November in a new stage production by Headlong in a co-production with Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company. Headlong Associate Director Robert Icke will be directing his and Duncan Macmillan’s adaptation of George Orwell’s dark vision of the future, 1984 in a co-production with Nottingham Playhouse as part of a 10 week UK tour. George Orwell’s 1984, published in 1949, is one of the most influential novels in recent history, with its chilling depiction of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind control. Its ideas have become our ideas, and Orwell's fiction is often said to be our reality. Headlong is a company that continues to interrogate our most important cultural texts, following acclaimed stagings of Faustus, Six Characters in Search of An Author and King Lear plus its recent play, Chimerica which took the West End by storm. Headlong visited Sherman last year for the first time and wow audiences with their production of Medea which was a bold re-imagining of the definitive dystopian novel. Filtering the spirit and the ambition of the 1984 novel through the lens of contemporary culture, this radical new staging explores surveillance culture, identity and how falling in love could be the greatest revolutionary act. Playing the main character Winston is Mark Arends (Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll, Pride and Prejudice and Skins). Tim Dutton who is recognisable from stage and screen (The Bourne Identity, Patriot Games, The Detonator and The Rendevous, Ally McBeal, Midsomer Murders, New Tricks and Harley Street) will be playing O’Brien. Stephen Fewell joins the Headlong cast again following his previous performances in Romeo and Juliet, Enron and Paradise Lost. Christopher Patrick Nolan (National Theatre’s War Horse) will be playing Martin. Matthew Spencer (My Family, The Trap), Gavin Spokes (Channel 4’s Utopia, Hollyoaks and Obsession Dark Desires), Mandi Symonds (BBC’s Sea of Souls, ITV’s Green Eyed Monster) and Hara Yannas (Almedia’s The House of Bernarda Alba, Arcola Uncle Vanya and Shakespeare’s Globe A Midsummer Night’s Dream) will also be performing in this first stage production of this novel. As well as the 6 strong cast, two local children have been chosen to perform in each tour venue as part of the UK Tour. Following auditions that were held at Sherman Theatre in August,11 year olds Lydia Wheeler from Pentwyn and Kyla Coker from Ferndale were chosen to perform in 1984 when it comes to Sherman in November. Lydia, who attends St. Bernadette’s Primary in Pentwyn is really excited about performing on stage at the Sherman. Mum, Melanie said, “We are really chuffed for her because she works hard both in school and in her theatre clubs Young Venture Players and Newport Operatic Society. If our Lydia isn’t dancing or acting there’s always music playing in our home.” Kyla, who attends Darran Park Primary School in Ferndale, and was on the BBC Wales Six Nation Rugby Television Campaign earlier this year, will also be making her stage debut but she has her eye on being the first female Dr Who. Mum, Denise says, “We first started sending her to the drama workshops to help boost her confidence as she was very shy. Now she wants to be first female Dr Who. We are very proud of her.” Alongside this production of 1984, Headlong begins an exciting new partnership between Headlong and King’s Cultural Institute, part of King’s College London. Headlong will be one of three companies selected to join KCI’s Knowledge Producers, and will be working closely with academic experts to develop a toolkit of digital technology that can be used to enhance and deepen the audience’s experience of live performances and investigate whether digital Technology can revolutionise the way in which we understand and share live theatre. Headlong and Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company’s 1984 will be at Sherman Theatre from 5-9 November, 7.30pn. For further information please contact Sherman Theatre on 029 2064 6900 or visit www.shermancymru.co.uk |
| Sherman Theatre web site: www.shermancymru.co.uk |
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Thursday, October 3, 2013 |
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