The Actors’ Gang presents George Orwell’s 1984 at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater

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August 31, 2006

Fine Arts Programming at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University will present the Actors’ Gang presentation of George Orwell’s 1984, adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan and directed by Tim Robbins, Sept. 22-23, at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU campus.

Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Sept. 22, and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sept. 23.

Written in the late 1940s, the haunting novel 1984 envisions a world controlled completely by the government. Imagine a world where people fear that their opinion cannot be expressed freely, where leaders are not held accountable for their deceptions, where perpetual war is waged against an unseen enemy; a world where ignorance is strength, freedom is slavery, and war is peace. This is the world Orwell created more than 50 years ago that is still relevant today.

This is artistic director Robbins’ (The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River) first production directing since the acclaimed and controversial Embedded, in this powerful new stage adaptation by Sullivan, of San Francisco Mime Troupe.

1984 was written by Orwell as a political piece in opposition to totalitarianism. The book depicts a dystopia in which an omnipresent state wields total control over its people. 1984 is among the most famous works of dystopian fiction in literature along with Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

1984 and its terminology have become bywords in discussion concerning privacy issues. The term “Orwellian” has come to describe actions or organizations reminiscent of the totalitarian society depicted in the novel. Most famous in the novel is the mysterious head of government Big Brother, often referenced in modern society through the government slogan “Big Brother is Watching You.”

The Actors’ Gang will be in residency at CSB/SJU from Sept. 18-23. Throughout the week, the company will work with students as well as hosting public panel discussions on issues raised within 1984. For information on public events during the week of residency, check out the Fine Arts Programming Web site .

Tickets to 1984 are $20, Senior (60+)/Youth (5-21) $15, CSB/SJU ID $10. For tickets call the Benedicta Arts Center at (320) 363-5777 or order online at www.csbsju.edu/finearts. Visit 1984 online at www.theactorsgang.com.

1984

  • Friday, Sept. 22, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 23, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.