A bright & cold day in April

Oxford’s Maths Institute is as famous for its architecture as its academic influence. Featuring penrose tiling and glass mathematical art installations the interior is impressive and imposing at once.

A perfect site for Orwell’s dystopian narrative (1984).

For most of our IB Theatre students this was their first experience of site-specific theatre (meaning the performance does not take place at a traditional theatre space or proscenium arch venue).

As we waited in the foyer (complete with surround soundscape which created an atmosphere of a digital, bustling workplace). This foyer became the first site of the performance from which we were then guided to our seats in the downstairs entrance hall.

The performance was aided by many computer screens and webcams, metatheatrically screening the performance. The effect of this was that the actors could be seen twice- in the flesh and on screen reinforcing the idea that “Big Brother is watching you”.

Largely, the students enjoyed the piece because of the original and offbeat approach and immersive atmosphere (everyone was given numbered lanyards to wear in the performance so we could enter into the world of the performance). Some students had difficulties understanding the narrative as 1984 features a dystopian version of the English language which was not always clear to follow!