George Orwell’s cautionary tale of state control unfolds in dance with Northern Ballet’s production of 1984, set to premiere at Sadler's Wells on 24 May.
The production, choreographed by former Royal Ballet dancer Jonathan Watkins, and set to a score composed by Alex Baranowski, aims to animate and set in motion the dystopian, darkly visionary world of Orwell's novel.
It will be a challenge to adapt the politically and emotionally-charged plot, in which Winston Smith (danced by Tobias Batley), a worker at the Ministry of Truth, risks everything to fall in love with the enigmatic Julia (Martha Leebolt) under the totalitarian surveillance of Big Brother.
But if anyone can pull this off, it's Northern Ballet. They've already had critical success with their sell-out production of The Great Gatsby, and we reckon their new literary adaptation will also be a gripping ‘page-turner’, albeit in dance form.
While the performance opens next month, Londonist has had a chance to peer behind the scenes at the preparations taking place, from costumes to dance rehearsals. With a multi-media set design incorporating video, the production appears as visually stunning as the dancers themselves.
Northern Ballet's 1984 runs at Sadler's Wells from 24-28 May 2016. Tickets are £12-£42 and can be booked by calling the box office on 0844 412 4300 or on the Sadler's Wells website.
