2 minute read
Opening Weekend Highlights
FULLY SUBSCRIBED 26 Apr
THU, 8PM
Blue Room, Festival House
1h, no intermission
Free with registration at sifa.sg
Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.
HOSTED BY DR GWEE LI SUI (SINGAPORE)
Dr Gwee Li Sui will lead discussions on George Orwell’s seminal novel, 1984.
Singapore poet, graphic artist and literary critic Dr Gwee Li Sui leads a thought-provoking discussion on George Orwell’s magnum opus, 1984. Published over half a century ago in 1949, the cautionary tale about state surveillance and big government has never went out of style, in fact enjoying a recent renaissance on bestselling lists driven by growing concerns over fake news proliferation, online data privacy, and the global rise of strongmen politicians.
Orwell’s ground-breaking story is a fictional metaphor with an outsized influence, with numerous references from the dystopian tale now in mainstream lexicon: “big brother” used to describe authoritarian behaviour; “doublespeak” a synonym for deceptive, euphemistic language. And surpassing these, “Orwellian” — an adjective derived from the English novelist’s last name — immediately brings to mind the absolute authority described in the world of 1984.
Join Dr Gwee as he journeys with you into this Orwellian world. Limited spaces, so register early for this stimulating discussion.
FULLY SUBSCRIBED 29 Apr
SUN, 4PM
Blue Room, Festival House
1h, no intermission
Free with registration at sifa.sg
Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.
BY DR GWEE LI SUI (SINGAPORE)
George Orwell’s 1984 has captivated and terrified generations of readers since its publication in 1949. The novel describes a futuristic society where a shadowy government exercises absolute control over the lives of its citizens. This chilling imagination of state power is prescient and casts a dark shadow over modern-day politics as we know it. It opens our minds to the effects of global war, the instruments of totalitarianism, the threat of mass media, and the abuse of language.
Dr Gwee Li Sui will also be delivering this insightful lecture that draws out these Orwellian lessons for our time. The original 1984 will be analysed in a way that will also shed light on Robert Icke and Duncan MacMillian’s powerful stage adaptation. Dr Gwee will assess the damage to individuality under oppressive conditions created by propaganda, fake news, surveillance, and indoctrination. He will also discuss the novel’s cultural impact and changing relevance across almost seven decades.
