Miss Howell's class 1984 notes

1984 from the novel by George Orwell adapted by Matthew Dunster

Seen at South Hill Park - Bracknell

Winston Jack Cosgrove

Julia Lily Knight

O’Brien Owen Lindsay

Charrington George Bryan

Syme Jonathan Ashby-Rock

Act 1:

4 White pillars two have screens on for Big Brother broadcasts (blue light) and to watch people (red light)

4 Tables on wheels on which they work, stools

Feeling is open, clinical

Workers take their place behind tables and are given papers to process, work is repetitive

Big Brother rally - all enthusiastic and fired up except Winston who is at the back and not so active

Scene changes are done behind the action so the pace maintained

Winston’s bedroom - he does exercise directed by Big Brother

When he is being watched screen turns red and he is nervous and conscious of it

When he meets Julia in forest, there is a slo-mo fight behind them involving the proles (lowest class of workers)

As Winston and Julia continue to meet in their rented room, other events are played out as dreams or flashbacks, eg the story of Winston and Catherine his ex wife

They generally undress for the love scene meetings - symbol of not wearing uniform and therefore defying Big Brother

The space is transformed for the big rally using banners and bunting

Act 2:

The forbidden book becomes important and symbolic for Winston

Voice over when Winston reads book as Julia sleeps, so we hear contents of the book

Nice repetitive movement sequence of 4 workers

Sing a political song

Winston is shocked by what he reads - control and memory... electric shock treatment

The thought-police come to arrest Julia and Winston at the bedroom

Beating up scene - brutal they use truncheons

The lighting is an evening state with steel blues

Lights snap to pinks for slo-mo to emphasise movement of hitting and kicking

Winston in the cells

Make-up for bruising very good

The inmates are all being taken off to be beaten and come back blood splattered

Winston is tortured using beating and electric shock

Shadows cast on back cloth and eerie music gives this scene an otherworldly feel

The torture scene is very intense

Jack Cosgrove playing Winston is superb in these scenes. He shows the fear on his face and the pain as his body is abused. He changes his body physically to shake and twitch in pain. Body language closed in and defensive

Room 101 where he is strapped to the rat cage

This finally breaks him

After confessing he is stripped and placed in front of mirror - his moment of utter degredation

Becomes silent as he dresses and steps into line for inspection

He meets Julia and they talk but feel nothing for each other

Winston’s last tragic words “I love Big Brother” he makes a triumphant fist-in-air gesture but it is very sad... the system has beaten him and robbed him of his individuality