OBSERVER: 1984


Shake & Stir Theatre Co announces the cast for its 2025 national tour of 1984, George Orwell’s chilling dystopian masterpiece, from July 1-6 at the Comedy Theatre.
The cast features a line-up of celebrated Australian performers, including Michael Whalley (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Winston Smith, Chloe Bayliss (Doctor Doctor) as Julia, and returning to the role of O’Brien is David Whitney (The Wharf Revue, My Fair Lady), sharing the role with Tony Cogin (Frankenstein).
Rounding off the cast is Steven Rooke (Fourteen, Animal Farm) and Abhilash Kaimal (Nautilus). Their performances will bring to life the harrowing world of Oceania, where surveillance is omnipresent, truth is rewritten, and resistance is perilous.
Adapted by Shake & Stir’s Co-Artistic Directors Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij, and directed by Michael Futcher, this production remains faithful to Orwell’s original narrative while delivering a gripping, high-impact theatrical experience.
The award-winning creative team includes Josh McIntosh (Designer), Jason Glenwright (Lighting Designer), Guy Webster (Sound Designer), and Craig Wilkinson (Video Designer).