1984

1984 comes to His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday 17 October, a new stage adaptation of George Orwell's final novel. It's a co-production between three of Scotland's leading theatres — Citizens Theatre, Dundee Rep Theatre and The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh — so it's a bit of a joint effort from across the country rather than a single company's run.

The play is adapted by playwright Chris Hannan and follows the story most of us know: a world where Big Brother is always watching and the Thought Police control every word you say. It centres on Winston and Julia, whose forbidden love sparks a rebellion against an oppressive regime, and works its way through themes of freedom, truth and power. The company notes that Orwell's post-truth world of 'alternative facts' feels more relevant than ever, which is a fair point given how much of the book's language has leaked into the way we talk about politics and news these days.

It's a bold staging of the novel, and it doesn't shy away from the darker side of the source material. The show runs about two and a half hours including the interval and is recommended for ages 14 and over, with strong language, scenes of violence and torture, and depictions of drinking and smoking. If you're taking younger ones, that's worth keeping in mind.

There are two performances on the day: a matinee at 2:30 pm, which is Audio Described and Captioned, and an evening show at 7:30 pm. Tickets range from £18 to £46, and the theatre is at Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, AB25 1GL.