Silent Dogs bring Orwell's 1984 to the stage in Göttingen!

Silent Dogs bring Orwell's 1984 to the stage in Göttingen!

In the Old Town Hall of Göttingen, the theater group “Silent Dogs” attracted attentive faces with a special performance of the classic “1984” by George Orwell. As part of the Göttingen Literature Autumn 2025, the actors Christoph Huber and Stephan Dehler presented the piece in simple language, which enabled a wide audience to immerse themselves in Orwell's dystopian world.

“1984” deals with the dark reality of a totalitarian surveillance state in which the protagonist Winston Smith lives. Under the control of the “Socialist Party of England,” Winston not only finds himself subject to constant surveillance by “Big Brother,” but is also forced to suppress his individual thoughts and feelings. This reflects a reality that remains relevant today, especially in the current social debate about censorship and surveillance. “1984” has been banned from libraries and classrooms in some US states, which Huber and Dehler address in their imagination.

A gripping performance

The performance itself didn't require much: a table and a few small musical instruments were enough to captivate the audience for an hour. The atmosphere in the packed hall was electric, and at the end of the performance the performance was rewarded with sustained applause. In addition to surveillance mechanisms, the performance also addressed central human values ​​such as love and the conflict between personal freedom and state control.

Orwell himself was a sharp critic of totalitarian systems. In the novel he exposes the mechanisms of power and the manipulation of consciousness through constant repetition and indoctrination. For example, the parties in “1984” use the slogan “War is Peace” to keep citizens in a constant state of fear. With this, Orwell brings up an important idea: the danger of language manipulation and how it is used as a weapon to suppress individualistic thinking.

topicality of the topics

The bridge to today's reality is quickly built. Once again it becomes clear how Orwell and his vision of the surveillance state have hardly lost their relevance. In times of smartphones and social media, which act as new means of control, the question of one's own surveillance and censorship seems more explosive than ever. Whether through facial recognition or the data we volunteer every day, the lines between privacy and public visibility are blurring.

“Silent Dogs” takes a clear stance in the discussion about censorship and changes in society: Orwell’s themes are not only of great importance historically, but also today. After the performance, viewers had the opportunity to purchase “1984” in simple and classic language at the book table. This highlights the desire to continue to spread Orwell's message and encourage conversations about freedom and surveillance.

Orwell's work shows how literature helps us to question social structures and power relations. Writers should be seen as early warning systems that alert us to possible dangers and encourage us to be vigilant. It can be said that George Orwell's "1984" remains a timeless reminder despite its age - and the performance of "Silent Dogs" offers a valuable contribution to the discussion of these topics.

The performance follows the tradition of other cautionary works that tell of the control of the individual. George Orwell, Aldous Huxley and even Franz Kafka open up a discourse about freedom, truth and the dangers of totalitarian control in their stories. The exciting question remains: Are we prepared to learn from past experiences and question the gradual changes in our society?

HNA reports, that the idea of ​​surveillance and control was faithfully portrayed in “1984” as universal and as shocking as it was back then. The actors presented this topic impressively, which both touched the audience and made them think.

The work is also an expression of Orwell's clear criticism of existing power structures and a call to society not to blindly acquiesce to dystopian developments. The perspectives that Orwell formulates in his book are still of great importance decades after its publication, especially when one considers current developments in the censorship discussion, as in knowledge.de can be read in detail.

At a conceptual level, there are also connections between Orwell's work and the challenging discussion of contemporary surveillance through technologies Lesering.de reported. The space for dialogue and reflection is opened up - not only in the theater, but also in our everyday lives.