Synopsis
2003 sees the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the journalist and novelist George Orwell - on July 25th, 1903

THE LAST MAN IN EUROPE is a fascinating portrayal of the extraordinary life of the man who, in Nineteen-Eighty-Four, gave the world Big Brother, Room 101, Thoughtcrime, Newspeak and Doublethink; who wrote the beautiful, multi-layered fable, Animal Farm; who used his rare talent for simple, clear writing to bring public attention to social wrongs.

The play traces the journey of Orwell's life, finding the influences that turned the Eton schoolboy Eric Blair into the socialist author George Orwell.

The influences are everywhere: in the friendships and reading matter of his childhood, in his experiences as a policeman in Burma, on the streets of Paris and London and in the mining communities of the North. The motivating forces behind his later writing are to be found in the betrayal of the left in Spain, the Stalin-worship of both the left and the right during the war, and the subsequent East-West confrontation, which became the cold war.

Inseparable from his socialism was his concern with language, and how language can be used to twist the truth. This, too, can be traced to his experience of the distorted reporting of events during the Spanish Civil War.

The play traces his personal life through two marriages, and is illustrated with scenes from several of Orwell's books. George Orwell died of tuberculosis in January, 1950.

Biography
Michael McEvoy has appeared in the British TV police drama series THE BILL, BBC TV's true crime drama series TRAIL OF GUILT and the BBC sit-com CHAMBERS. His film work includes Cummings in ANXIETY and Whitaker in WEYBACK. He is a founder member of the touring company THE GLOBE PLAYERS with whom he has played many of Shakespeare's leading roles.

His first solo-play, A PORTRAIT OF VINCENT, on the life and death of Vincent van Gogh, premiered at the Edinburgh Festival where THE SCOTSMAN hailed it as a "brilliant and intensely-portrayed drama, a terrific one-man performance." A Portrait of Vincent has since been seen by audiences on four continents. At the 2000 Edinburgh Festival, Michael had an equal success with AN ACT of WILL - The Secret Life of William Shakespeare, subsequently touring Pakistan with the British Council.

In 2002, Michael presented THE LAST MAN IN EUROPE at the Edinburgh Festival where it was enthusiastically reviewed by the critics and sold out during the final week of the festival.

"CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR THE LAST MAN IN EUROPE"

"Immaculately researched and lovingly constructed, McEvoy's portrait of one of Britain's most important literary figures is a joy to watch. Fascinating."
-Paul Rhodes, The Scotsman.

"This is an intelligent and engaging portrait of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. It is also damn fine entertainment."
-Stewart Kirkpatrick, Scotsman.com

"A well-acted and moving portrayal."
-Sam Taylor, Three Weeks.

"Michael McEvoy's carefully crafted piece faithfully captures the honest directness of Orwell's prose and his personality."
-Brian G. Cooper, The Stage

Michael will be touring this play throughout 2003

Show Facts:
Performer: Michael McEvoy
Home City: London, England
Playwright: Michael McEvoy
Director: Joanna Bowen and Jennifer McEvoy
With the voices of:
Gabrielle Daye as Aunt Lillian
Jennifer McEvoy as Jacintha Buddicom
Length: Ninety minutes (no interval)
Requirements: Basic theatrical lighting needed. Neutral background (e.g. black drapes)
Furniture: 2-seater settee, coffee table, small bookshelf, table and two chairs.
Sound cues can be played on tape or minidisk. One technician needed.

Booking information