1984 is back at the Playhouse Theatre on London's West End - and star Catrin Stewart thinks the play is more relevant than ever in 2016.

Stewart told Digital Spy that the stage production based on George Orwell's novel has frightening new connotations in a post-Brexit world.

"We performed this play on Friday [June 24] after the EU referendum and it was pretty emotional," said the actress, adding that the cast were infused with an "angry" energy.

Catrin Stewart in 1984 at the Playhouse Theatrepinterest
Manuel Harlan

"There's all the talk of, 'We should never have trusted them' - we say that line quite a lot. And there's talk about austerity.

"It feels so relevant - especially now, at such a weird time in Britain, of uncertainty and division. It's a really important time to be doing this play."

Orwell's dystopian vision of a world under omnipresent government surveillance also feels scarily prescient, Stewart said.

"It's mad that he wrote it in 1948 and... he'd seen the future," she said. "There's talk now that the government can see everyone's e-mails. 

"My back account got hacked - I was a victim of fraud. So the technology now and the way that people can see into your life... it is terrifying.

Catrin Stewart in rehearsals for 1984pinterest
Manuel Harlan

"Now there's more fear in the world, you can see why a government would want to be able to watch people and observe them, and keep an eye on everyone - but that isn't fair, because most of us are doing nothing wrong."

From Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, the Playhouse Theatre's award-winning 1984 returns to the West End following a sell-out international tour.

Stewart described the production as "pretty full-on" and "not your usual, polite, British version of 1984". 

"It's really exciting because of that - it attacks the senses," she said. "It's unlike anything I've done, or seen, before - and for it to be on the West End I think is brilliant. Because it's not your usual, safe, nice West End play - it's definitely different."

1984 is on at the Playhouse Theatre until October 29. For more information and tickets, head to 1984ThePlay.co.uk.

Watch an unsettling teaser for 1984 right here:

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