We must believe that love is stronger than hate.

There are many challenges in interpreting a script that explores an infamous and pervasive novel like 1984. My hope is the production will sparkle with relevancy to a modern audience while using the words from of book that is legendary.

I had to bring 1984 to life now because Orwell's dystopian world view is not that far away:

1)Politicians, in order to gain power, use alternate facts, revise history, and present lies as truth. The idea that what ever the Party says is true IS truth, a key element in 1984, circumvents critical thought, rational debate, and balanced scepticism necessary for a civil society to exist.

2)We are already part of a technology and surveillance culture where algorithms control what we see, who we hear from, what we buy, who we vote for. Our devices are listening to us, learning from us, and catering to our preferences. The information gathered is, in turn, being monitored, bought and sold, and used manipulate us.

3) Presently, around the globe and within Canada's sphere of influence, Governments are restricting individual rights and freedoms, silencing opposition and abusing their citizens (China, North Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Syria, UAE, Sudan, Cameroon, amongst many others). The controlling techniques in1984 are being applied in 2020 by militarized police states to keep millions of people in fear of prosecution without due process and torture.

I believe the lesson from the tragedy of 1984, is that we must stand up to movements like Big Brother's Party. We should never allow governments into power that fosters the erosion of empathy, caring and humanity by using fear-based rhetoric and violating human rights in order to shore up more power to the already powerful. We can not be complicit in bad politics and we must believe, like Winston does, that love is stronger than hate.