1984 by George Orwell

NoName Theatre, Helsinki, Finland

November 12-23, 2025

In the midst of Winston's rare moment of peace as granted by Big Brother, he is haunted by the echoes of his now-past suffering and pain. As he awaits his monthly allotment of drink, memories of torture and mental conditioning flood his mind, but amidst the turmoil, a distant yet persistent memory emerges – a woman, always present in the shadows of his recollections.

Though he is incapable of remembering her face, Winston is determined to unravel the mystery of her existence. Was she real, or merely a figment of his imagination? Could she hold the key to his identity and freedom, the missing piece of his fractured mind?

As Winston delves deeper into the recesses of his consciousness, he begins to hold on to the possibility that some part of his mind may remain untouched by the relentless efforts to erase his past. The woman, undefined yet ever-present, becomes a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of pervasive oppression.

In this thought-provoking adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, Director, Playwright, and Acting Coach H. Sven Fernandez bluntly confronted the inhumanity of modern surveillance societies through the eyes of those who fall prey to its dehumanizing grip. Through Winston's struggle to reclaim his lost memories, we are reminded of the danger of becoming complacent in the face of oppression and accepting it in any form, amount or capacity.

Director

273/273

"1984" is a profoundly unsettling tale of two lovers navigating an oppressive totalitarian regime ruled by the ever-watchful Big Brother. This story delves into the struggle for individual and intellectual freedoms, where the fight against an all-encompassing system leads to a fate more harrowing than death: the total erasure of individual willpower.

Presented in a modernized format for the stage by H.S. Fernandez, this adaptation of "1984" retained the essence of the original storyline while seamlessly incorporating contemporary elements and events. This innovative blend invites audiences to reflect on the parallels between the original narrative and today’s socio-political challenges.

Director H.S. Fernandez and his talented creative team incorporated the story into an interlaced framework that brilliantly combines Grotowski's Poor Theatre, Classical Greek Theatre as well as modernist Brechtian elements. Combined with layered symbolism and the fractured narrative of a broken mind, this performance proved to be a rich and profoundly moving experience that explored the depths of human resilience and the fight for freedom in a world where privacy is a distant memory.

WINSTON - Nicola Bagalá
JULIA - Ernesta Nesta
O'BRIEN - Payam Salarvand
SYME / ELDER 1 - Lotta Haikala
ELDER 2 / THOUGHT POLICE - Ilona Jalkanen
HOBO - Victor Stigzelius
TRAINING OFFICER / SEDUCTRESS / THOUGHT POLICE - Anastasia K
ELDER 3 / PARSONS - Hakan Kandemir

Director, Writer, Dramaturg - H. S. Fernandez
Assistant Director - Jasper Kotiranta
Sound/Lights Tech - Veeti Jaakkola
Props Manager - Evelin Hürlimann
Stage Manager - Merlin Sauer
Media Specialist - David Martin

Front of House - Kimia Izadi

David Martin @davidmartinmedia
https://www.instagram.com/davidmartinmedia/

(Average score 4.9)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved it! Brilliant acting! Loved how the time switching and scene changes were executed! There was an eerie dystopian feeling/vibe throughout. The sounds effects and lighting was really well done. Could not follow the number on the screen though. - Tariq M.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The cast were amazing! Big shout out to Ernesta’s performance of Julia! And of course to Nicola and Payam too! It was a phenomenal show from the whole cast and crew! - Chris M.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong acting and especially likes O' Brien's and Winston's acting. - Sami V.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very immersive and double good. - Hong L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ That was amazingly good, I am still impressed by actors performing. - Viktoriia I.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ First, the excellent cast members seemed to know instinctively how to bring their respective characters to life. Special mention goes to Nicola, Ernesta, Victor and Payam but the others were very good too. Secondly, Sven Fernandez merits special mention for his roles as script writer and director. His brilliant adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 novel kept the audience guessing what would happen next. The production carries the imprint of an excellent director at work. - David R.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hi, thank you so much for the show. To be frank, I didn't have huge expectations when I was coming for the show. I know the book very well and didn't think that the story could be adopted to and performed on the small "stage". My "wow" effect was in being so close to the artists, feeling the vibes of the atmosphere of the play. Especially, when characters were shouting at the prisoners of war passing by. I was born and raised in Belarus and lived in Russia after the school, witnessing how dictatorship in both countries has been developing. Even having lived in safe Finland for several years, I felt unsafe and a bit scary several times during the show as it touched internal strings in my soul. And this is a sign of the success of all artists and the whole team. Thank you very much for the experience and bringing to the stage a very contemporary plot, that should make us all think how quickly people can loose their internal and external freedom for no sake and because of someone's madness. Wishing you luck, very best, and big success in your future endeavours! - Alexandra K.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you! It was such a nice experience. - Melis E.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was already full of angst upon arrival because I know the story and I know similar things are happening in the world today. You all made it feel so REAL that I am still shaking a bit, just thinking about it. Bravo!!! And thank you. - Cynde S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very engaging and well performed!:) - Laura F.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very creative & impressively performed play! - Suryanarayan G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incredible play! Very immersive and amazing dedication and acting skills! - Helen B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic, intense & immersive! - Robert V.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great performance from great actors. - Jesper S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It was very nice and well-written! I read the book a while ago, I don't remember much, but it seems very loyal to the material. I enjoyed the performances as well! - Luiza S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great show! Dynamic, deep and always up to date. Must see! - Alena T.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good interactive performance. - Kimi H.

⭐⭐⭐ Interesting but depressive. Convincing acting. - Claes S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Payam as O’Brien delivers a riveting performance creating tension, charisma at the same time instilling fear. Winston’s cries and powerful dialogue immediately puts the audience in discomfort. The sounds and lightwork plays expertly into Director Sven’s intentional immersion of the audience into Orwell’s dystopian world. Syme’s performance however needs some improvement as it feels a bit out of tune with the show’s overall atmosphere. - Krittika V.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Immersive, and multilayered play! - Sandra D.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was a fun watch! - Oliver K.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Brilliant adaptation of a Classic. Sad, passionate, heart breaking. Great cast! - Aatto P.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I think Ernesta provoked as great a reaction from me now, as Julia did when I read the book as a kid, with her question “what was your favorite scene?” Then as now, it was the Winston/Julia scenes- then, because, well, I was like 13 or something. Now, because of the heartbreaking humanity of their scenes compared to the inhumanity of the rest of it. And then speaking as Chairman (an unword, sorry BB) I had to be well impressed with the extra 17 lucrative bums on seats. And as director, the excellent quality of the actors and actresses (another unword…). I’d say break a leg in your finale, but there is no past or future- the time is now. Doubleplusgood. - Matthew P.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The stage setting was really clever, so was the way you got us in and out of the theatre. Orwell- immersion! Thank you to each and everyone for a brilliant performance, much appreciated. - Anna P.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent take on the classic novel brought to life by outstanding performances and masterful lighting and sound design. Highly recommended. - Antti L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Overall, the performance was quite powerful. Excellent performance of all actors. The actors interacted with the audience occasionally, which was a little intimidating at times, but added the flavour to the show, for sure. - Annie X.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very interesting immersive experience into the theather. Went to see it expecting much less professional production that we have experienced. Loved the range on Winston and the ability to switch between the scenes with it not feeling unnatural was absolutely stunning. Big wow. - Misia M.