Edinburgh 2002

Fringe

The Last Man in Europe - a portrait of George Orwell
Hill Street Theatre

Lydia Esler

The Last Man in Europe is an account of the life of Eton schoolboy Eric Blair, who became known to most as the novelist George Orwell. It charts the experiences, which inspired the man's novels from stories during schooldays to accounts in adulthood. His son, his struggle with T.B, his lovers, his occupations and of course his political stance.

True to Orwell's novels, it interweaves politics and the story; socialism and sentiment combine in an easily absorbed history of the political nature of Orwell's life. Quoting paragraphs from his most famous books, in particular Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four, the solo actor tells a novel in itself - that of the life and times of George Orwell.

The directness of Michael McEvoy's delivery is modest and unadulterated - an effort to personalise the great distant figure of this author. He manages to draw the audience into a private life set in a 'private sanatorium'. The script is unpretentious and holds its own, making it imaginable as a radio play as well as for stage. Scenes from Orwell's books are performed with fresh animation, as though to a Playbus or Sesame Street audience, which helps to break the monotony of the direct address and still atmosphere.

Throughout, there is nothing overwhelming about the production; the story of George Orwell is simply told, and told simply. True to Orwell's books, political references are prevalent; his revulsion at the system promotes the socialist tone of the play. McEvoy as Orwell says 'I didn't see myself as political' and, just as the socialist views are not imposed on the spectator but stated as one man's opinion, McEvoy delivers them as anti-establishment asides.

The text needs nothing and is given little. Set in a minimally furnished living room it is rather like being read a story before bedtime. The play acts passively to inform, rather than aggressively to challenge. You do not need to have read Orwell's novels, nor know a great deal about him.....except that he wrote books (!) because the production is informative for the ignorant and interesting to the informed.

Until August 26: 19.50 (1hr 30mins).