Seeing ‘1984’ in 2007

Academy Award-winning actor and acclaimed director Tim Robbins isn’t the first to have noted the seemingly timeless relevance of the dystopia described in George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four.”

Inspired by the dictatorial regime of Joseph Stalin, the book has been compared to totalitarian governments throughout the years, and with Robbins directing the Actor’s Gang in a new stage adaptation at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on March 20, he deems the prescient tale “incredibly relevant to the world we are living in today.”

So relevant, in fact, Robbins was initially skeptical that playwright Michael Gene Sullivan — a member of the San Francisco Mime Troupe — had not been faithful to Orwell’s concept in his script.

“Before I said ‘yes’ to it, I had to reread the book because I suspected he made some of this stuff up,” Robbins said. “I was shocked and delighted to read that he hadn’t, and the book was more vibrant and necessary now than it had ever been.”

Robbins likens various aspects of the American political landscape to Big Brother’s Oceania, specifically mentioning the war in Iraq, recent questions about the National Security Administration’s warrantless surveillance and the use of torture at military prisons.

But with “1984,” he presents “a didactic piece, not a diatribe,” and has enjoyed the variety of audiences and reactions encountered along the tour, which has included the United States, China and Australia.

“There is a real beautiful idea of what freedom means in the heartland and all around the world,” he said. “I believe freedom means many voices, not intimidating people you disagree with to shut up.”

Though widely known for his film-related work, the Oscar-nominated director of “Dead Man Walking” has been working in theater since he was 12, and as a fresh UCLA graduate in 1981, he formed the Actor’s Gang, a Los Angeles-based theater ensemble dedicated to bringing bold and daring works to the stage. The group has since produced more than 80 shows, including comedy, drama and musicals.

“Our ideal show is a show that entertains, but also stimulates thought and discussion, and we’ve been very clear all along that our mission has to do more with representing good theater than any particular philosophy,” Robbins said.

With three major motion pictures under his belt — “Cradle Will Rock,” “Dead Man Walking” and “Bob Roberts” — Robbins enjoys the challenge of directing films and plans to return to the medium in the coming years. In the meantime, theater allows him more time with family and an unparalleled creative freedom.

“Directing in the theater is much easier for me, and I am incredibly lucky to have an infrastructure of great actors to go along with my ideas and my passion,” he said. “And I don’t have to ask permission or raise $20 million to do it.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Actor’s Gang presents “1984”

WHEN: 8 p.m. March 20

WHERE: The Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine

COST: $28 general admission, $18 students

INFO: Tickets are available at the box office, by phone at (949) 854-4646 or online at www.thebarclay.org .