Not having read Orwell's novel (shocking, I know), I only had a basic knowledge of the general themes; Big Brother, Newspeak, Thoughtcrimes etc. The first 20 minutes was quite slow, going back and forward in time and memories, which was confusing. But the way the cast appeared and disappeared off the stage in the blink of an eye was astounding and very unnerving. Having sensitive hearing caused some problems for me, with the use of radio static and brown noise, which I did find offputting. The heel turn at the end provided a big surprise, when a supposed ally wasn't who they claimed to be - and then the fun really started. I would recommend for fans of the novel, and definitely to read it beforehand to get a better grasp of the story, as the play takes a very non-linear narrative. A creepy, stark reminder of what could have been - and what could still come our way.