Julie at The Lyttleton

Put simply, this updated version by Polly Stenham of Strindberg’s Miss Julie, didn’t do it for me.  It’s nothing to do with the acting, which is up to the mark, it’s the fact that the dramatic tension usually associated with this play isn’t there.

Stenham’s updated version has Julie (Vanessa Kirby) transported to modern day London. It’s her thirty something birthday and she’s celebrating with a party in the home she shares with her wealthy father.  He’s away, the only members of the household insitu are Jean (Eric Kofi Abrefa), the Ghanian chauffeur and his Brazilian fiancé Kristina (Thalissa Teixara) and drugs are freely flowing.  Julie, the ultimate poor little rich girl, has issues stemming from the death of her mother and regularly imbibes Xanax and Cocaine. This birthday bash is an excuse for her to go wild following a recent break-up.  As such, anything goes, including the chance to engage in a power game with Jean which ultimately ends in rough sex and the decision, albeit constantly changed, to run away together.

The trouble is, unlike the original play, this sexual encounter isn’t a massive deal. Yes, it means Kristina’s dignity and happiness is severely compromised, but in this day and age, sleeping with the staff of whatever nationality isn’t life shattering from anyone’s point of view and certainly shouldn’t bring about the ultimate conclusion viewed here.

Vanessa Kirby is great at showing the disturbed nature of the over indulged Julie and letting us glimpse the changing nature of her relationship with both Jean and Kristina.  At times overly pally and needy, whilst at others imperious and condescending, but never really interested in their lives or how they may be feeling.  Thalissa Teixeira is very affecting as the deceived Kristina and illicits our sympathy in a way that Julie never really can.  Meanwhile Eric Kofi Abrefa expertly conveys his conflicting emotions of desire and distaste towards his employer’s daughter.

Another sticking point is Tom Scutt’s design. The Lyttleton stage is basically cut in half.  The top shows the party in full, somewhat contrived swing, whilst the kitchen in the bottom half has Jean and Kristina bustling around making sure everything’s in order when the boss gets back.  The throbbing base from above is distracting, whilst the kitchen area is far too large for the intimate exchanges between the couple.  Strindberg himself realised his play required a “small stage and small auditorium” which begs the question, why stage it in a theatre which is anything but.

A reason for Stenham updating Miss Julie was to apparently investigate the hypocrisies of middle-class liberals towards their immigrant staff and she would probably have been better writing a play to this effect from scratch.  Maybe those not conversant with the original might enjoy this update more.  It just isn’t for me.