Big Brother is watching tonight as Ohio State students resuscitate a novel of paranoia, war and government control on stage.
The Scarlet Mask Society, the oldest coed organization at OSU, is performing George Orwell’s classic novel “1984” at 8 p.m. tonight in Hasket Hall. The society, founded in 1892, provides an outlet for students to showcase their acting, directing, producing and stage crew abilities.
Eric Colleary, a junior in theater, is directing “1984.” He said the Scarlet Mask Society has a long history of giving students the chance to enjoy theater.
“I’ve been involved for three years,” he said. “(The society) was actually Scarlet Theatrics before it was Scarlet Mask. …We just changed the name this year to the Scarlet Mask Society.”
In a press release, Colleary explained why “1984” is relevant today as terrorism and government spending dominate political debate.
“‘1984’ is a story that, at the time, took place in the future as a warning for the people of the present,” he said. “While ‘1984’ has come and gone, the threat still remains. In an age of terrorism, John Ashcroft, and the U.S. Patriot Act, Big Brother is indeed watching our every move.
“We work very hard together on the production,” Colleary said. “It’s not really about one set of ideas; it’s about opening up kinds of grounds for debate. We aren’t trying to say people should vote for one person or ‘this is wrong.’ We want people to be aware of the issues that are affecting us right now. There is a lot going on and people need a venue to come to and discuss the issues.”
Of the seven actors and five-member crew of “1984,” only two actors are theater majors. The crew and the rest of the cast come from a variety of different backgrounds.
The Scarlet Mask Society performs one production every quarter. Notable past productions include “Agnes of God” and “Twilight Morning Sunrise.”
Alan Woods, a professor in the theater department, will discuss how theater treats social and political controversy after tonight’s show. Lesley Ferris, chair of the theater department, is the society’s adviser. Fran Kalal is multimedia designer for “1984,” while David Holmes portrays lead character Winston Smith.
“1984” also will be performed at 3 and 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for the general public, and can be purchased at the door.
