1984: Education
This pack is here to help you dig a little deeper into 1984 and the choices behind the production, and has been designed to speak directly to students to encourage self-led learning, as well as a guide for educators to work through with their students.
You’ll get the chance to explore more about George Orwell, the world of the play, its historical context, themes and characters, and how these are drawn out from the original book. It also offers you a chance to meet some of the creative team who helped bring the story to the stage.
To support learning, you’ll find activities, tasks and questions that are aimed at helping you reflect on what you’ve seen and connect it to your studies. It has been created with a specific focus on Drama and English Lit, and the tasks are open enough that they can use as prompts for the sorts of questions you will come across for Nat5, Higher and Advanced Higher assessments. There are also tasks and questions that can be connected to the wider curriculum.
Let’s dive right into everything 1984!
About the production
George Orwell
Who is George Orwell anyway? And why are we still banging on about him in 2026?
Plot summary and extract of the text
Chris Hannan, the writer of our production, has shared an extract from an early draft of the script with us to explore.
Characters
In 1984, we meet a group of characters who live under the control of the Party. Each character has a different relationship with the themes of the show and often gives us different insights into the questions the play asks.
Here we describe the key characters in 1984, characters whose actions happen and most impact the story.
George Orwell
George Orwell is the writer of 1984. In our production, Orwell is also a character who helps frame the story. We meet him as he struggles with tuberculosis and travels to a hospital near Glasgow. There, he is treated by Dr Dick, and we learn that they both fought in the Spanish Civil War. However, they fought on opposite sides: Orwell as a Communist and Dr Dick as a fascist. Orwell tries to find a way to keep writing through his illness and explore his complex relationship with his doctor.
Winston
Winston Smith is one of the central characters in 1984. He works for the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to change records/newspapers of the past. Although Winston appears to follow the Party’s rules, he begins to question the world around him. He starts to wonder whether the things he has been told are true. His desire to understand the past and discover the truth brings him into conflict with the Party. He starts visiting an antique shop to find objects of the past to collect.
Julia
Julia is young, intelligent and resourceful. Julia is another of our central characters in 1984. She works in the Fiction Department and pretends to be a loyal member of the Anti-Sex League. However, secretly, she finds ways to live according to her own rules. After meeting Winston, Julia realises that he also doubts the Party. They meet up to have sex but then fall in love and begin a relationship. Julia shows Winston what freedom can look like through small acts of rebellion against the rules of the Party.
Mr Charrington
Mr Charrington is an elderly antiques shopkeeper. He seems warm and friendly and introduces Winston to objects and memories from a world that existed before the Party’s control. He offers Winston a room above his shop, without a telescreen, where Winston and Julia begin to spend time together. However, later on, we find out Mr Charrington was a part of a plan to catch Julia and Winston.
Dr Dick
Dr Dick is a thoracic medicine specialist and a highly educated, traditional-minded man. He fought on the fascist side during the Spanish Civil War, against George Orwell. Dr Dick is often seen smoking, despite being a specialist in thoracic medicine. This contradiction can make us think about the relationship between what people know, what they believe and how they behave.
Parsons
Parsons is Winston’s neighbour and a loyal supporter of the Party. He works at the Ministry of Truth and is a member of the Spies, an organisation that encourages children to watch and report on adults who might be behaving suspiciously. His children are also Spies and spy on him and his wife when they are asleep. Parsons is enthusiastic, loud and unquestioningly loyal to the Party. He genuinely believes in what the Party tells him and is proud of his children for being good Party members.
Syme
Syme is a colleague of Winston’s at the Ministry of Truth. He works on creating the Newspeak dictionary, helping to create and remove words from the English language to push the Party’s views. Syme shows that under the Party, being intelligent or understanding too much can make you dangerous, even if you are loyal to the regime.
Choose a character in the show that you connected to.
Throughout this pack, we’ll have a range of tasks highlighted in these orange boxes. Here is your first task:
- For Theatre Students – Exploring Character and Performance
Choose a character in the production you had a strong response to and write down 5 words that describe their personality. Winston – is he Curious? Frightened? Rebellious
Now choose three of these words to explore more deeply. For each one, explore how the actor communicated this personality trait. Factor in facial expression, gesture, posture, movement, voice etc and connect these to specific moments in the performance - For English Lit students – Exploring Character Portrayal
Choose a character in the story you had a strong response to and write down 5 words that describe their personality. Julia – is he Courageous? Reckless? Determined?
Now choose three of these words to explore more deeply. For each one, explore how the writer presents this aspect of their character. Factor in what they say, what they think and feel, the use of language and imagery etc and connect it to specific moments in the story
Creating the world
Each of the topics below will take you further into the world of 1984 and our production.
Social, Historical and Political context
Orwell’s story gives us a useful way to think about privacy and surveillance.
Timeline of a production
We asked Ben, our Assistant Director, to show us how 1984 was made.
Exploring the Design of 1984
Explore how design choices help communicate the themes, atmosphere and ideas of the production.
Lighting Design
When you watch a play, you might not always notice the lighting. But lighting can completely change what we see, how we feel and where we look.
Costume
Take a look inside the world of costume design for 1984! The costume in this show does a lot!!
Staging Dystopian Theatre
The Citizens Theatre has a long history of staging stories exploring societies that have gone wrong. But what do we mean when we say dystopian theatre?
Meet the creative team
Glossary
Throughout this pack, we use lots of complex words and terms that can have different meanings depending on the context. This glossary explains what we mean by each word and how we are using it in this pack. Use this glossary to dip back into as you work through these resources. If you come across a word you’re not sure about, come back here to check what it means.
1984 terms
Authoritarian
A system of government where one person or group has a lot of power and people have very little freedom to challenge or disagree with them.
Capitalism
An economic system based on private ownership and businesses competing to make money. In 1984, capitalism is contrasted with the Party’s political and economic system.
Censorship
The control or removal of information, writing, images or ideas that those in power do not want people to see or access.
Colonialism
A system in which one country takes control over another country, often exploiting its people and resources. Orwell’s experiences working for the British Imperial Police in Burma influenced his thinking about imperialism and inequality.
Communism
A political and economic ideology that aims to create a society based on collective ownership and the reduction of class divisions.
Dystopia
An imagined society where life is extremely difficult, unfair or oppressive. Dystopian stories often explore what can happen when societies or governments become dangerous or controlling.
Fascism
An extreme political ideology that promotes authoritarian leadership, nationalism and the suppression of political opposition. Fascist governments use methods such as propaganda, censorship and violence to maintain control.
Feminist lens
A way of analysing a text by thinking particularly about gender, power and whose voices or experiences are represented. The pack uses a feminist lens to consider Eileen O’Shaughnessy’s possible influence on Orwell and whose contributions are remembered in literary history.
Imperialism
The practice of one country extending its power and control over other countries or territories. Orwell’s experience of working within the British colonial system contributed to his understanding of power and inequality.
Ideology
A set of ideas and beliefs about how society, politics or the world should work. In 1984, the Party uses its ideology to shape how people think and behave.
Misinformation
False or inaccurate information that is spread, whether deliberately or accidentally.
Oppression
The cruel use of power to control a person or group and prevent them from having freedom or equal rights.
Propaganda
Information, images or messages designed to influence people’s opinions or behaviour, particularly when used by governments or political organisations. In 1984, the Party uses propaganda to control how people understand the world.
Surveillance
The act of watching, listening to or monitoring people, often without their knowledge or consent. In 1984, surveillance is carried out through telescreens and the Thought Police.
Totalitarianism
A form of government where the state attempts to control almost every part of people’s lives, including politics, information, behaviour and sometimes even their thoughts. Orwell was particularly critical of totalitarian political systems.
Utopia
An imagined perfect society where everything is considered ideal. A dystopia is often described as the opposite of a utopia.
Political repression
The use of power to prevent people from opposing a government or political organisation. This can include imprisonment, violence, censorship and punishment.
Rationing
A system used to control how much of certain goods people can buy or receive, usually when supplies are limited. Rationing was still taking place in Britain when 1984 was published.
Theatre terms
In theatre, we often use new or complex words to describe how performances are made, designed and put together. This language can sometimes feel unfamiliar, so this section explains some of the key theatre terms used throughout and what they mean in context.
Ensemble
A group of performers who work together as a collective rather than playing only individual characters. In this production, several actors play multiple roles as part of the ensemble.
AV
Short for Audio Visual. In theatre, AV can refer to visual elements such as projection, video and screens.
Design concept
The overall idea or approach that guides the visual and sensory world of a production. This can include decisions about set, costume, lighting, sound and video.
Model box
A small-scale model of a theatre set used by designers and directors to explore how the performance space might look and work.
Projection
The use of light to display images, video, text or other visual material onto a surface or into a performance space.
Storyboard
A sequence of drawings or images used to plan how a visual idea will develop. Designers can use storyboards to explore how set, video and other elements might work together.
Technical rehearsal
A rehearsal where the different technical elements of a production, such as lighting, sound, video, set and costumes, are brought together and tested.
Visual language
The way visual choices communicate meaning to an audience. This can include colour, shape, movement, images, text, lighting, costume and set.
Dramaturgy
The process of thinking about how a story works theatrically: its structure, themes, characters, context and relationship with an audience.
Physical theatre
A form of theatre where the body and physical movement are central to communicating character, story, ideas or emotion.
In-Yer-Face Theatre
A style of theatre that became popular in the 1990s, known for being confrontational. It often uses difficult subject matter to make the audience feel uncomfortable and challenge them to think about what they are watching.
Press Photograph
A photograph taken to promote a theatre production. Press photographs might show the actors, characters, costumes or set and are shared with newspapers, magazines and websites to help advertise the show.
Table Read
This is the first time the actors and creative team read through the script together. The actors usually sit around a table and read their lines aloud, without performing the scenes. This helps everyone understand the story, characters and ideas before rehearsals begin.
Previews
Performances that take place before the official opening of a show. They give the actors and creative team a chance to perform in front of a real audience and see how the production works with an audience in the room. The company can use what they learn from these performances to make final changes and adjustments before opening night.
Blackouts
A moment when all the stage lights are turned off, making the stage completely dark.
Thank you for coming to see 1984 at Citizens Theatre!
We hope this pack has helped you explore the production, understand some of the choices behind it and given you plenty to think about.
Good luck with your exams! If you’d like to keep exploring 1984, theatre and the ideas we’ve discussed, we’ve included some useful resources and further reading below!
English and literature
George Orwell: A Life in Letters, George Orwell
Explore Orwell’s life through his own correspondence. His letters offer a different perspective on the writer behind 1984, including his relationships, political ideas and experiences. This can be particularly useful when thinking about the relationship between an author’s life and their work.
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Another of Orwell’s most famous works. Like 1984, Animal Farm explores political power, propaganda, manipulation and the corruption of revolutionary ideals.
Ask yourself: How does Orwell explore power differently in the two texts?
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Published in the 1920s, Zamyatin’s We is often considered an important influence on later dystopian fiction, including 1984. Set in a highly controlled futuristic society, it explores individuality, surveillance and the conflict between freedom and social order.
Ask yourself: What similarities can you find between We and 1984?
Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life Anna Funder
A contemporary feminist re-examination of Eileen O’Shaughnessy, Orwell’s first wife, and her often-overlooked role in his life and work. This is particularly useful if you’re interested in exploring 1984 through a feminist lens and questioning whose voices are remembered in literary history.
Julia: Sandra Newman
Newman’s novel retells the story of Orwell’s 1984 from Julia’s perspective. While Winston is the central character in Orwell’s novel, Julia places a previously secondary female character at the centre of the story, giving us access to her thoughts, experiences and understanding of the world of the Party.
Theatre and design
Gecko Theatre Resource Pack
Explore Gecko’s educational resource pack for their theatre work. It contains exercises and ideas around physical theatre, devising, movement and the relationship between performers, space and storytelling.
Explore the Gecko Resource Pack
National Theatre of Scotland Education Portal
A collection of resources exploring theatre-making, performance and production design. A useful starting point for thinking about how designers, directors and performers work together to create a theatrical world.
Research and further reading
Research & further reading
“Dystopian/Utopian Theatre in Britain after 2000 and Its Political Spaces”, Dennis Henneböhl & Luciana Tamas