Fringe 2025 – Julia. 1984 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Edinburgh Reporter

2 days ago

The continuing relevance of George Orwell's work is well represented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.
This includes an excellent theatrical production of Animal Farm (Assembly, Studio 1). From the 8th of August onwards, The Winston Smith Library of Victory and Truth, a special sculptural installation by artist Hans K Clausen, will be on display at Out of The Blue on Dalmeny Street from 8-23 August.
At Summerhall, Julia. 1984 by Within Theatre continues the Orwellian themes, demonstrating their continuing relevance. Directed by Tanya Polosina, and with superb lead performances by Sofia Barysevich (playing Julia) and Michael Tcherepashenets (O'Brien), Karina Wiedman's Julia. 1984 offers a worthy sequel to Orwell's dark masterpiece.
Sofia Barysevich and Michael Tcherepashenets (photo by Alina Saffron)
Entering Room 101
Julia. 1984 begins where the original Nineteen Eighty Four ends, the aftermath of Winston Smith's final succumbing to days of torture – and his acceptance that the Party and Big Brother represent the only truth, the only reality. This is continued in Julia. 1984. The play takes place where the original book concluded; in Room 101, 'the worst thing in the world', where victims come face to face with their very worst fears (in Winston's case, rats). The focus here shifts from Winston to Julia. In Julia. 1984 she is no longer 'merely' Winston's lover, but now the central focus. What became of her?
An eerie and unsettling space
As the audience enters the Main Hall at Summerhall, they find themselves in an eerie and unsettling space. They have, even if they don't yet know it, entered Room 101. You may come out of Room 101 alive, but you will not be the same person, you will not hold to the same truths. Progress, in Room 101 it's not like progress elsewhere. Here, 'suicide ideation' is apparently 'the first step to recovery' and the acceptance that Big Brother is always right – and that truth is malleable ('2 plus 2 is 5').
We begin with Julia midway through her torture, overseen by O'Brien, head of the Thought Police, headquartered at the Ministry of Love. It is the relationship and conflict between Julia and O'Brien which is at the centre of performance. It begins with Julia very much the victim, on her knees literally and metaphorically. She is imprisoned, with confession to crimes (real or imagined) the only way out. It takes us back to the conclusion of the original novel and the question that hangs over it; what was Julia's role in Winston's capture? These themes of distrust and double crossing are at the heart of Julia. 1984.
Sofia Barysevich & Anastasia Velique (photo by Alina Saffron)
Fear and loathing
The action onstage was a stark contrast to warmth and sunshine on the nearby Meadows; of children playing freely and ice cream being liberally scoffed. The world of Julia. 1984 has no room for such simple liberties and pleasures. The drinking of Victory Gin is done only to blank out the reality, not as a social lubricant. You don't want to speak freely in a world where no one can safely be confided in. The tense exchanges between Julia and Emma (Anastasia Velique) illustrate this clearly. Fear and loathing is here the essence of life and any personal relationships are fractured by the state.
There is a deep unsettling feeling from the start; the audience not sure whether the show has begun. It's immediately evident that this is going to be an unsettling and intense experience. The mood changes numerous times, from celebratory, to worried, to petrified. At times, the atmosphere borders on jolly; at others, metaphorical shockwaves are projected towards those seated. At one point, several audience members around me jumped out of their seats as the action took a dramatic turn. At another point, the seating shook, further instilling a sense of unease. This is consistent with Room 101, where the punishments are psychological and physical.
Who is watching?
The feeling that dominates is of claustrophobia. The characters in the play are trapped, intellectually if not physically, while the audience too feels surrounded, with action occurring in front and sometimes behind them. Who is watching? What are they looking for?
Fluctuating fortunes
The level of the performance was truly impressive. The interactions between the characters were convincing. Central were the tense dialogues between the leading characters. These were carried out in simplified English (in line with the principles of Newspeak, a streamlined version of Standard English, denuded of unnecessary words). The performance was never rushed, with the deep unease allowed to linger over the audience. There was time for the audience to absorb the deeper significance of the exchanges they had just witnessed.
The fluctuating fortunes of the main characters is very well communicated, especially O'Brien's shift from charismatic, all powerful master of ceremonies, the master of Room 101 – to a man in an increasingly precarious position. The changing power dynamics between Julia and O'Brien are at the core of the story and the performance.
Their interactions are an increasingly intense cocktail of distrust, loathing, and lust. At root is the question of who is really closest to the Inner Party and to its unseen but all-seeing 'captain, engine and guru', Big Brother. Who will win the power struggle? What emerges is that 'everyone is replaceable', even those in the highest positions within the Inner Party. Parallels with purges in many real totalitarian societies immediately come to mind. This may be a nightmarish vision, but has basis in reality; past and indeed present.
Not history but happening now
The performance ended on an intense note, leading to an extended period of hearted and well-deserved applause. Those involved in the play outlined that what inspired those involved was partly their own history as a theatre group. Now based in London, the actors come from a range of Slavic countries where freedom of expression is in short supply and Orwell's vision of totalitarianism is very much alive. This is 'not history but happening now'. The way the actors are inspired by a need to counteract such a mindset is clearly manifested in this powerful and disturbing performance which does justice to Orwell's work.
JULIA.1984 continues until 11 August at Summerhall.
Running time 60min
Suitable for Age 14+
Warnings Flashing lights, swearing, violence
Tickets from: https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/julia-1984/
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[Note: the author thanks Eva Vaporidi for her assistance with this review]