It takes a lot of talent to pull off a comedy adaptation of George Orwell’s ‘1984’. To somehow turn an ominous narrative which explores totalitarianism and the struggling existence of love into an hour of laughs is a great feat. However, to fail at this goal as badly as this group of actors is equally challenging.
Let me break it down. The scenes are thick with jokes which receive negligible audience response, creating an atmosphere which cannot be described as anything but awkward. Whether it be the confusing Queen song references or the school-yard innuendos, not a genuine laugh is exhaled from this trapped audience.
To exacerbate the situation further, in and around these proverbial tumble-weeds are an array of songs sung in an amateur karaoke style by actors and actresses who, unfortunately, cannot sing. Needless to say, these songs aren’t funny either.
Not yet mentioned are the casts’ abysmal acting skills. From the forgetting of lines and accidental interruptions of each other, to the apparent amusement their own jokes seem to bring, the performances are atrocious. Combine all these elements into one and you have a rather unfortunate play.
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