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2014 October 11, Saturday!


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The Confession of Winston Smith

An Emergent Soundword Fictcast

Adapted from George Orwell's 1984

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Valentine's Day 2014

Musical Emergency * Saturday 2014 October 11 * Omino, Santa Cruz * david poly@omino.com * deb debkakes@gmail.com * 8313326077

This Musical Emergency adds a fresh wrinkle or two to our traditions. In addition to the "Narrative Songs", we're also including "Announcements". These are "sidebars" to the main story, to help flesh out the world of 1984, and afford you, dear Emergencist, further opportunities for, you know, hilarity and stuff.

The lettered list of Announcements below is a starting point, but feel free to expand on it. Video, powerpoints, animation, and what not are all encouarged here, as well.

The framing conceit of the performance is that we are viewing a fictcast on the telescreen, an evening's broadcast from the oppressive police state's propaganda organ, the Ministry of Truth.

The song list below includes some relevant sections from the novel 1984, behind the click for excerpt hot-link. Or go further, into the complete text.

Lastly, it is our honor and delight to host this Musical Emergency. We'll do our utmost not to tarnish the brand! --> Deb & David

To claim a song, email poly@omino.com and debkakes@gmail.com. In triplicate.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Winston Smith. A 39 year old beaten down "Outer Party" (middle class) citizen of Oceania who becomes subversive. He maintains a secret diary, and later, a forbidden affair (most sex is frowned upon) with another Outer Party member, Julia.
O'Brien. An "Inner Party" member, of devastating intelligence and tremendous calm who has been cultivating Winston's downfall for seven years. (Because the goal of power is power.)
Big Brother. The probably-factitious leader of Oceania.
Emmanuel Goldstein. The probably-factitious leader of a resistance movement, author of "The Principles of Oligarchical Collectivism".
Julia. A 27 year old dark haired coworker of Winston's at the Ministry of Truth. She wears the red sash of the Anti-Sex league. Winston hates her until she initiates an affair with him.
Syme. A coworker of Winston's, a specialist in Newspeak. Winston sees he is too smart for his own good, and will surely be picked up by the thought police.
Parsons. A coworker of Winston's, and his neighbor. A man of imbecilic enthusiasm for The Party. He is eventually turned in as a thought criminal by his own daughter. He's quite proud of her for this.
Mr Charrington. Apparently an antique store owner, but actually a member of the Thought Police, working with O'Brien, ensnaring those with an interest in the "past".
Narrator. A stooge for the Ministry of Truth, who tells the story of Winston's illness and rehabilitation.

MUSICAL (or not) ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Why do we Hate Emmanuel Goldstein
B. Hey kids, join the SPIES league! click for excerpt
C. Victory on the Malabar War Front! Winning the War may be within measurable distance!
D. The Party Orphanages: Producing Better Citizens
E. Our scientists in their Antarctic Laboratories are developing New and Better Production Technologies, and helping us Win this War! (No, but really.) click for excerpt
F. Doublethink Calisthenics
G. Newspeak Poetry Break click for excerpt
H. A Quick Guide to Your Four Ministries click for excerpt
I. A word from the young ladies of the Junior Anti-Sex League
J. (dvb) The Sad True History of Capitalism and How We Overcame It

STORY
1. Winston Smith sees a pretty girl (Julia) around the office. He hates her. click for excerpt
2. (Flashback) Young Winston snatches a whole bar of chocolate from his mother & sister. They are taken away on a train, never to be seen again. click for excerpt
3. Winston fixes his neighbor's toilet. The daughter calls him an Eurasian spy. The wife is proud of how patriotic her husband Mr Parsons is, busy with all those committees and things. click for excerpt
4. ((tentatively tagged by M...)) Winston Smith gulps down Victory Gin, and writes "Down With Big Brother" in his secret diary. click for excerpt
5. (Martin) During "Two Minutes Hate" in the office, Winston sees O'Brien, and remembers him saying, "We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness." click for excerpt
6. At the lunch table, Winston's friend Syme waxes poetic for Newspeak click for excerpt
7. Winston visits a filthy prole tavern, and asks an old man to quantify the socioeconomic changes he's witnessed. "The beer was better, before." click for excerpt
8. Mr Charrington the shopkeeper sees Winston coming. In cahoots with O'Brien, he gleefully entices Winston to rent a "secret room". click for excerpt
9. Julia, her arm in a sling from a Novel-Machine injury, pretends to stumble, and slips Winston a note. "I Love You". click for excerpt
10. At the lunch table, Parson babbles about all his patriotic committees, while Julia covertly gives him directions to meet her in the woods. click for excerpt
11. (Evan) Winston and Julia meet in the woods. She has done this scores of times before. Winston adores her unwholesomeness. click for excerpt
12. (Johnny and Donna) Winston spends several days at the office; many newspapers, books, magazines, and movies mistakenly refer to Eurasia as a military enemy, and these must be revised. East Asia has always been the enemy, Eurasia has always been our ally. click for excerpt
13. (Jerry) Winston and Julia meet at the secret room above the antique shop. She brings black market coffee ("real coffee!"). Helicopters come, and they are arrested. The Shopkeeper reveals himself to be a member of the Thought Police. click for excerpt
14. Winston is deep inside the Ministry of Love. Various other prisoners come and go from his cell. They are all starving. The lights are always on, it is "the place where there is no darkness".
15. Winston has many interesting and fascinating conversations with O'Brien, about what is or is not real. He is tortured.
16. Winston is frail, a shell of a man. Winston wants to believe that 2 + 2 = 5, if the Party says it is true.
17. (Dan) Winston regains his health and believes himself cured... until he wakes up crying "Julia, Julia!" click for excerpt
18. O'Brien takes him to Room 101, to confront his worst fears. Just before the rats are released, he truly and completely betrays Julia.
19. Winston is cured, has a cushy job, and spends his time drinking and playing chess. One day, he and Julia talk in the park.
20. (Brendan) He loves Big Brother.