Who are you and what is your role in the production?
I’m Murriel and I play Julia in 1984. Julia portrays herself as a loyal Party member who turns out to be a thought criminal who hates everything that Big Brother and the Party represents. She is passionate yet cunning with a rebellious spirit to do anything it takes to survive.
What is your background in theatre? At Walterdale? I made my acting debut at the Walterdale in The Attic, the Pearls, and Three Fine Girls in the spring of last year. It was such an amazing experience being on stage that I decided I’d try it again. I think I’m hooked!
Why do you think audiences should come see the show? I feel like 1984 is such an important novel for our generation with a clear message: question everything. I feel like we are just now starting to question what we’ve been told is “right” or “normal” because for so long, we were taught to accept what is digestible and easy as the truth. We need to question everything so as not to become complacent when it comes to the news or policies that affect us civilians every day. In our show, audiences will be able to see what happens when nobody questions anything (in a very extreme fashion). Buckle up, comrades!
1984 (the play) is based on the novel of the same name that predicts a dystopian future (many of us read it in high school)… what’s your favourite dystopian novel/movie and why? The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This is a tough read to stomach as a woman, especially in a time of #MeToo, but so much of what Atwood has written parallels the economic and political structure today in terms of feminism (or lack there of) and how it affects women.