1984

About the show

George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel ‹1984› is reimagined by Trio ACE—Alia Luque, Christoph Rufer, and Ellen Hofmann—as a powerful work of physical theater for Ballett Basel. In Oceania, where Big Brother sees all, independent thought is a crime and language becomes a tool of control. This striking work exposes the inner workings of totalitarianism: the manipulation of meaning, the restriction of movement, and the personal cost of defiance. Urgent and immersive, this choreographic-literary hybrid—adapted specifically for the Ballett Basel ensemble—expands the boundaries between dance and theater, fiction and reality. Orwell’s themes of repression and resistance are vividly brought to life as movement, language, and ideology confront one another on stage. ‹Ballett Basel – Anders› (Ballett Basel – Different) defines the 2023–2025 period at Ballett Basel: a dedicated two-year mandate and initiative to further broaden the form and content of dance and choreography. ‹1984› is part of a series of original creations and adaptations that bring diverse perspectives and bold ideas to the stage. Each production is conceived as a world premiere, tailor-made for the ensemble, and previously unseen in Basel. The 2024–2025 season explores a central theme: love. Or: «What’s love got to do with it?» In ‹1984›, love is both refuge and threat—a vulnerable emotional state that also becomes a political battleground, with devastating consequences.