Let’s face it, another adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 might seem about as welcome as a telescreen in your living room. Haven’t we all had our fill of bleak, totalitarian futures? But BBC Four’s The Read is back with a version that might just make you rethink Orwell’s ever-relevant nightmare. And this time, the face peering through that metaphorical telescreen belongs to none other than Sacha Dhawan, known to Doctor Who fans as the latest, and perhaps most manic, incarnation of the Master.
Dhawan takes center stage, narrating and performing Orwell’s dystopian novel in this first episode of The Read’s third season. While the idea of yet another 1984 might elicit a world-weary sigh, Dhawan’s involvement adds an undeniable frisson of interest. His performance in “Doctor Who” was divisive, sure, but his twitchy, unpredictable energy seems tailor-made for Winston Smith’s descent into paranoia and despair.
The inherent tension between our desire for security and our yearning for individual freedom remains the novel’s core, and this version will likely explore how that tension plays out in a world increasingly obsessed with both surveillance and self-expression. So, maybe, just maybe, this isn’t just another brick in the wall of 1984 adaptations. Maybe it’s a chance to experience a familiar nightmare through new, unsettling eyes.
The Read: “1984” airs Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 9:00 PM GMT on BBC Four.
