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How '1984' is present-day London?

As the stage version of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' begins its West End run, we check up on present-day London to see how many of Orwell's grim predictions have come true

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In the book

LONDON The capital of ‘Airstrip One’ (as Britain has been renamed) is a city of ‘rotting nineteenth-century houses’ with a failing infrastructure whose skyline is dominated by the Ministry of Truth: ‘an enormous pyramidal structure, soaring up… terrace after terrace, 300 metres into the air’.

In real life

LONDON A city of rotting nineteenth-century houses
with a failing infrastructure, whose skyline is dominated by The Shard: an enormous pyramidal structure of glittering glass, soaring up, floor after floor, 306 metres into the air… with a Time Out silent disco at the top.

PROCREATION Raising children is only possible within
a state-authorised relationship, with a partner for life approved by the ruling elite. Casual hanky-panky is
classed as ‘sexcrime’.

PROCREATION Raising children is only possible within a house in zone 5, with a mortgage for life approved by your bank. Casual hanky-panky is classed as the standard outcome of a Tinder date.

DOUBLETHINK Saying one thing and meaning it absolutely while simultaneously meaning the exact opposite.

GENERATION Y-RONY ‘I love ’90s chart pop!’ ‘Vice magazine is the only news source I trust!’

ROOM 101 A state-run torture chamber which brings you face-to-face with your worst fear.

RADIO 1 A state-run radio station which brings you face-to-face with Nick Grimshaw.

THE TWO-MINUTE HATE In ‘1984’ the workers are required to daily vent their frustrations with an officially sanctioned, communal two minutes of mindless rage at enemies of the state.

THE TWO-HOUR COMMUTE ‘Move down the carriage! Have you never heard of deodorant? Let passengers
off the train first! I won’t say anything, but I am going to tweet so angrily about this when I get off. Stand on the right!’

WINSTON SMITH A mild-mannered, low-level ministry employee who bucks the system and must go into Room 101 for his insurrection.

JULIAN ASSANGE An outspoken, high-profile radical who bucks the system and must go into London’s Ecuadorian embassy. Possibly for ever.

BIG BROTHER A terrifying figurehead for the totalitarian ‘Party’ that rules Britain. Most people are in thrall to BB
even though they’re not sure he even exists.

BIG BORIS A boffo figurehead for the Tory Party that sort of rules Britain. Most people find BJ strangely captivating even though they’re not sure what he actually does all day.
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