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A terrific trio tear into the cruelty and vulnerability within Strindberg’s masterpiece.
Summary
Rating
Good
August Strindberg’s masterpiece Miss Julie is often updated and can be seen frequently around London. This production by Lidless Theatre returns to the classic text, using Michael Meyer‘s translation, first employed by the National Theatre in 1965 and then by the Old Vic in 1966.
Directed by Max Harrison, it’s here performed in the round at the intimate Park90 theatre. The play is set on Midsummer’s Eve in the late 1800s, within the household of an unseen lord. In the kitchen, the valet, Jean (Freddie Wise), and the maid, Christine (Adeline Waby), are at work. Jean has just returned from the dance, where the lord’s daughter, the titular Miss Julie (Katie Eldred), has caused a scandal by dancing with the servants and attempting to dance with him. He has taken a fine bottle of wine from the lord’s cellar and intends to remain in the kitchen, his duties done.
Shortly after, Miss Julie follows him into the kitchen and the atmosphere shifts. She insists that Jean return to the dance and partner with her, despite the insurmountable divide in their social standings. As Jean first demurs, then outright refuses. Miss Julie persists, eventually commanding him to dance with her. Thus begins an evening of psychological games between them, each seeking something from the other. They are both prepared to act with immense cruelty, and the power imbalance constantly shifts between them before ultimately reverting to the class system that rigidly defines their places and lives.
Kit Hinchcliffe‘s minimalist set design cleverly centres on a period kitchen table. The confined space effectively represents the servants’ limited world, while the distant sounds of the party and the lord’s call from beyond add layers of tension and societal pressure. Harrison astutely uses the table to show Jean and Julie’s constant circling around each other, at times as predator, at times as prey. Their back and forth has an undeniable intensity but the sheer volume of their delivery can be overwhelming and the constant shouting sometimes drowns out the play’s subtler moments, which are often the most powerful, particularly in this small space, where a more nuanced approach would be far more effective.
Wise shines when he’s allowed to portray Jean’s inner turmoil without resorting to yelling. He beautifully conveys Jean’s lust, longing for a better life, and the vulnerability hidden beneath a hardened, sometimes cruel, exterior. Eldred portrays Miss Julie as equally compelling – ungracious, petulant, and wielding her rank as a weapon, but also lost and looking for a way out. Waby’s Christine stands out as a voice of reason, acutely aware of the social hierarchy and resilient in the face of betrayal. Unlike the others, she understands her place in this world and possesses the strength to weather any storm. Waby more than makes the most of a smaller role, her presence strongly felt.
The speed of the back-and-forth can leave little room for the weight of each line to sink in, no moment for a line to breathe. At times, it feels as if the cast are almost tripping over each other, one line not quite finished before another begins. There’s a sense of urgency that borders on frantic, more reminiscent of a Philip Ridley piece than the simmering tension of Strindberg.
Despite a few pacing issues and a tendency towards excessive volume, this is a compelling performance of a classic text. With some minor adjustments, it could truly be a must-see. For now, it’s still a solid night of theatre with a trio of powerful performances from Eldred, Wise and Waby.
Produced by Lidless Theatre, Zoe Weldon and Ross Chandler, in association with Park Theatre
Writer: August Strindberg
Translator: Michael Meyer
Director: Max Harrison
Set and Costume Design: Kit Hinchcliffe
Miss Julie plays at Park Theatre until Saturday 6th July.
Further information and tickets can be found here.
