Theatre director Michael Futcher read George Orwell’s 1984 at school - like most of us - but for him it was far more than just required reading.

“It really stayed with me. It wasn’t one of those books that you often read at school - you read it and you just do what you have to do to get your assignments done and then you just forget about it,” he said.

“This book stayed with me and it became lodged really in my consciousness for a long, long time.

"I had lots of other projects throughout my career where I would often make reference to the book and the situations explored in 1984.”

Futcher is directing a new stage adaptation of 1984, presented by Shake & Stir Theatre Co., coming to Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre on 2 June for one night only.

While the 1948 novel is rich with ideas, predictions, and chilling insights, Futcher says it’s also simply a compelling story.

“It's a thriller, really - the story. You're not really sure what's going to happen to the protagonist as he tries to challenge the system. It's like one man against the world.

"But at the same time it’s also a love story and a story about courage and a story about standing up for what you think is right,” said Futcher.

Another photo of rehearsals of Shake & Stir's 1984. Photo: Joel Devereux

“And how long can people hold out to do that in the face of enormous power against them?”

This isn’t the first time Futcher has taken on the challenge. He first directed the play in 2012, followed by a national tour in 2014. Now, as he prepares for a second national run, he believes the themes of 1984 have only grown more relevant.

“I think over the last few years our whole concept of what freedom actually is has been put under pressure. In the days when we first did the show, which was 2012-2014, we thought of authoritarian regimes as being very far off,” he said.

“But lately, the whole notion of a strong leader who does things for the people in spite of the petty bureaucracies that normally go alongside democracies, has become quite an attractive prospect to many people because they think that that's the only way things can get done.”

Futcher also sees Orwell’s warnings about media control and truth manipulation reflected in today's fractured media landscape.

“The notion of the power of the press as a representative of the people to keep a government honest, has now has not only largely been taken over by interested parties on both sides of the political spectrum. 

“It's also the notion of a fourth estate in itself,” said Futcher. “All the blogs and the online individual news sites have taken over people's minds in a lot of ways and that has become a new challenge to our freedom.

“And I think that that's what this play really looks at: What is the truth? Is the truth in the mind of the ruling power or is it an objective thing that no one can touch?”

And for those that remember correctly, the novel is written largely within the thoughts of the main character Winston - which famously makes it quite hard to adapt, but Futcher and his team have found a creative solution.

“What we've done is we've circumvented that issue by making that a very active thing in the play, where you actually get to hear Winston thinking about his dilemmas. And we do that in a very dynamic way,” said Futcher.

“We use modern digital technology extensively in the production. We have a live feed going on as a way of getting inside Winston's mind. The set incorporates a lot of screens. We have 12 very big 65-inch screens on the set, which creates this big wall of technology, which we use to affect in various ways during the show. It's quite disturbing for the audience, but it's very effective theatrically.”

Futcher urged anyone local who was interested in theatre and art to get to Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre for a night that will be truly different.

“You're transported into a different world. You get into the theatre and you're confronted with searchlights picking you out. It's a really different, fresh experience,” said Futcher.

“And even though the subject matter is quite confronting, it's a very positive thing to go and see because you feel like you're more informed about the way the world works. And also, you come out with a sense that each and every one of us can actually make a difference, in a small way, to how we perceive, and how we can change the world.”

Futcher and Shake & Stir’s gripping production of 1984 plays for one night only at Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre on 2 June. You can find tickets here