4 STARS
Set in the year 2540, in the chaotic yet socially-organised dystopian future, Nottingham New Theatre’s production of Brave New World transports the audience into a ‘civilised’ future in which sex, youth and centri-fugal tennis are at the heart of society.
New Theatre should be applauded on their portrayal of Huxley’s complicated and science-based dystopian novel. From the beginning, the characters attempt to outline the basics of the novel to any audience member who wasn’t familiar with the book.
In a civilised future, humans are made via test-tubes which are divided between five distinct social groups: Alpha, Beta, Epsilon, Gamma and Delta – (Think Divergent!)
In this way, every person has their place in society. Alpha and Beta are the leading groups, whilst Gamma, Delta and Epsilon experience stunted growth at birth which affects their physical and intellectual states.
Alongside this ‘civilised’ society, lives the ‘savages’ – us basic people – who live in a reservation from which they can be observed. The play is largely seen from the perspective of Alphas, who run a Hatchery (a breeding ground). However, through one of the main characters – the socially-deviant Bernard – the audience get a glimpse into the ‘savage’ world, only to find that it may in fact be better than the ‘civilised’ one.
The few actors in the performance were wholly comfortable in their personal abilities and interactions with each other. In a society where sex is considered as blasé as brushing your teeth, a degree of intimacy was needed among the actors – which I felt they delivered upon without making the play an awkward don’t-watch-with-your-parents type of affair, (we’ve all been there!)
With limited props, the actors were able to engage the audience with their complex plot. The use of visuals such as the videos, music and a shadowing-effect to portray the more wordy parts of the play proved very effective and kept the audience interested throughout.
Overall, I would recommend this play. The actors were given a tough novel to get to grips with and, although it was hard to portray the entirety of the novel’s events, this student performance is a respectable portrayal of a brave new world.
If you’re feeling the need for a revision break – who isn’t? – I’d recommend a trip to the New Theatre! It’s a chance to have a giggle, watch some passionate actors whilst not feeling too bad about procrastinating!
Book your tickets here.