Romeo and Juliet, National Theatre online review - a triumphant hybrid Simon Godwin's debut film is part dressed-down rehearsal, part cinematic flourish Living Newspaper, Edition 3, Royal Court online review – bleak news, sharp words Third instalment of the irreverent series takes on Boris, star signs, and casual sexism Vanessa Kirby (Julie) and Ashley Morgan Davies (Ensemble) in rehearsals for Julie at the National Theatre Photo by Richard Hubert Smith Eric Kofi Abrefa (Jean) and Thalissa Teixeira (Kristina) in rehearsals for Julie at the National Theatre Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. There’s a glamorous tenacity about Kofi Abrefa’s fine Jean who certainly has her number, telling Julie that “to torment yourself like this is a luxury. It’s been over a year since the National Theatre opened its doors for patrons, and so for the past 12 months, the magic of the stage has been experienced through TV and computer screens. I laughed out loud when she put a stop to some unwelcome, conversational development with the vague, would-be seductive “it’s all a construct”. These actors do sterling work but in Stenham’s version I never felt that the tragic outcome was dictated by an inexorable dramatic force. Julie is at The National’s Lyttleton Theatre until 8 September and will be broadcast live as part of NT Live to cinemas worldwide on 6 September Colin Morgan and … Patrick Marber’s After Miss Julie relocated the action to the night of Labour’s election victory in 1945. Down in the kitchen her father’s black chauffeur, Jean, who has been deputed to keep an eye on proceedings, passes the time with his Brazilian fiancee, Kristina. Both these versions gave the play a strong political context signally lacking in Stenham’s version, which, although well acted – not least by The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby – doesn’t make total sense. Julie – played by Vanessa Kirby – is a damaged rich kid who’s celebrating her 33rd birthday by throwing a thumping rave for a bunch of posing hedonists. I can imagine her writing a wonderfully abrasive play of her own on that subject. It doesn’t offer her much room for manoeuvre and, as she has reconceived it, the dramatic stakes are lowered. Review: Julie, National Theatre An elegant and occasionally startling adaptation, Julie at the National Theatre is anchored by mesmerising performances from Vanessa Kirby and Thalissa Teixeira “If anyone has had anyone, I’ve had you “ Vanessa Kirby is Crown jewel in lacklustre Julie, National Theatre, review 3 Save Vanessa Kirby and Eric Kofi-Abrefa Dominic Cavendish, Theatre Critic 8 … Vanessa Kirby is magnetic as Julie.' It says a lot for Kirby that her portrayal survives this “inventive” directorial flourish. 8, 2018 Polly Stenham's updating of Strindberg's Miss Julie moves the action to contemporary London, and … Kirby manages to make her both vindictive and helpless, and when she asks “Am I insane?” it is with genuine pathos. But, although the published version tells us that the play’s two servants are “first-generation economic or political immigrants”, the text itself gives us scant information about their backgrounds. Exhilarating.' The resulting red liquid looks like the basis of a new cocktail (a Canary Wharf, perhaps)? She’s clearly knackered; he illicitly samples a bottle of his boss’s Chateau Latour. Eric Kofi Abrefa and Vanessa Kirby in 'Julie', My Name is Lucy Barton, review: Laura Linney is luminous, In general, though, I was left puzzled by her use of. Julie, National Theatre, London, review: Vanessa Kirby shines, but the dramatic stakes are lowered in Polly Stenham's update of Strindberg The play looks at … 'Julie': Theater Review 11:51 AM PDT 6/8/2018 by Demetrios Matheou FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Richard H Smith Technicolor tragedy. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith A production from National Theatre. Until 8 September (nationaltheatre.org.uk), Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Home/Drama/ Julie – National Theatre, London Drama London Review West End Julie – National Theatre, London The Reviews Hub - London 09/06/2018 3 … But this collaboration between the National Theatre and Sky Arts would be exceptional in any circumstances. Polly Stenham is not the first dramatist to update Strindberg’s Miss Julie. By placing Miss Julie, Strindberg’s 19th century tragedy of infidelity and indulgence, at a sweaty, upmarket house party in London, Polly Stenham has made a class Review - Julie starring Vanessa Kirby is a 'play for the younger generation' at the National Theatre from LondonTheatre.co.uk Floating around barefoot, she’s brilliant at the accents of off-hand entitlement and those scraps of fashionable knowledge that are like an airily waved fag. Julie is at the Lyttelton at the National Theatre, London. Review: National Theatre Live Julie A contemporary take on Strindberg's classic, written and directed by women. The party itself looks over-choreographed rather than spontaneous, and the production makes excessive use of that ominous background hum that, ever since Ivo van Hove’s A View from the Bridge, has become a staple feature of cutting-edge productions. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Simon Godwin’s Romeo & Juliet (National Theatre) is a perfect encapsulation of the magic of cinema and stage, told through the world’s most famous love story. Julie | On stage at the National Theatre 'Packs an emotional punch. Vanessa Kirky as Julie and the Cast of Julie at the National Theatre. Lyttelton, LondonThe Crown’s Vanessa Kirby impresses but this updated version of the class-conscious tragedy is overblown, Last modified on Mon 11 Jan 2021 11.02 EST. ‘Both vindictive and helpless’ … Vanessa Kirby as Julie with Eric Kofi Abrefa as Jean. Julie is at the Lyttelton at the National Theatre, London, until 8 September. Carrie Cracknell’s production of this 80 minute piece is surprisingly low on sexual tension, though, and it makes some bad misjudgements. I pick you up after your abortion,” says Kristina in that same speech. To have the f***ing time.”. And she gives Kristina a strong speech near the end about how the faux-chummy Julie has robbed her of that tiny bit of dignity that was all she possessed: “I don’t think you even knew I had it. Watch this video and more on National Theatre at Home Watch this video and more on National Theatre at Home Subscribe Learn More Already subscribed? You wonder why Jean would want to run off with an employer who insultingly tells him that “You’re sticking the maid”. Box office: 020-7452 300. Review of Julie. Fortunately, the acting is good. She demonstrates a very good ear here for the kind of friendship (“You’re a star”; “I’m so proud of you”) that the privileged can cultivate with their staff – not hypocritical or strategic, exactly, but incurious about the whole picture. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Stenham’s solution is to substitute money for class: the gulf between Julie and Jean is here financial. Stenham has let it be known that part of her intention is to look at the hypocrisies of middle class liberals in relation to the ill-paid immigrant workforce on whom their moneyed lives depend. The pet canary in the Magimix, for example – a bird that makes not a peep of protest when Julie obeys Jean and pops it into the blender. It doesn’t offer her much room for manoeuvre and, as she has reconceived it, the dramatic stakes are lowered. When Jean asks if it would be possible to live together under the same roof as her father, Julie is indignant: “What do you think he is? Polly Stenham’s update shifts Strindberg’s explosive play about class and sex from nineteenth century Sweden to contemporary London. BWW Review: JULIE, National Theatre by Marianka Swain Jun. In this highly anticipated adaptation of Miss Julie, Polly Steinheim reimagines August Strindberg’s 19th century classic for 2018. Mail on Sunday 'A superlative production. ‘The characters confront each other across a space like the Grand Canyon’ … Vanessa Kirby and Eric Kofi Abrefa in Julie at the National Theatre. T he National Theatre’s first foray into film-making is a very different proposition to an NT Live recording. Wild and newly single, Julie throws a late night party, which rapidly descends into a savage fight for survival. In this version, Julie is a trustafarian who is still living at home with her wealthy papa, popping Xanax, snorting cocaine, and evidently not leading a terribly sheltered life – “I hold your hair up when you’re sick. In general, though, I was left puzzled by her use of Miss Julie as a template. Kirby excels at playing this latest addition to the, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Julie, review: Vanessa Kirby shines in Polly Stenham's update, Booking.com promo: 10% extra with Level 1 Genius membership, Use this Debenhams discount and save up to 70% on men's lines - Spring offer, Exclusive Ideal World promo code: 20% saving on fitness, Receive a £2 AliExpress promo code with the official App, Up to 25% Argos dicount on Bosch gardening tools. Whatever his misogyny, one of Strindberg’s insights was to realise that his play demanded “a small stage and a small auditorium”. Romeo and Juliet National Theatre review: Heartfelt and profoundly sad | Evening Standard Julie is at the National Theatre from 31 st May until 4 th August 2018. August Strindberg's Miss Julie finds a new home in contemporary London, as Carrie Cracknell (The Deep Blue Sea) directs a cast including Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) and Eric Kofi Abrefa (The Amen Corner). Julie review – Polly Stenham's modern take on Strindberg misses the mark ‘The characters confront each other across a space like the Grand Canyon’ … Vanessa Kirby and Eric Kofi Abrefa in … Here the play has to occupy a big theatre. In Stenham’s version we are in modern London, where Julie, the 33-year-old daughter of a rich tycoon, is having a wild birthday bash in her dad’s townhouse. Available at least until 10 January 2022. In the National Theatre of London Live’s latest offering at the Sierra Cinemas this past Thursday evening, Review: Julie (National Theatre) Vanessa Kirby stars in Polly Stenham's reworking of August Strindberg's Miss Julie Time Out August Strindberg's Miss Julie finds a new home in contemporary London, Carrie Cracknell (The Deep Blue Sea) directs a cast including Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) and Eric Kofi Abrefa (The Amen Corner). Some sort of... Tory?” Yet they persist with their fantasies of flight to Cape Verde. Available at least until 10 January 2022. Julie, National Theatre review - vacuous and unilluminating Vanessa Kirby leads superfluous update that is a lot more Stenham than Strindberg by Matt Wolf Saturday, 09 June 2018 For those who are not subscribed to National Theatre at Home, War Horse will be made available on Sky Store from 21 The cast of the National Theatre production: Julie. Put simply, the crisis in Stenham’s version seems disproportionate to the events. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here . Stream review of Romeo & Juliet (William Shakespeare) from National Theatre and Sky Arts at Lyttelton Theatre (National Theatre) - reviewer: Philip Fisher British Theatre Guide News, reviews, features and podcast on theatre across the UK Such has been the number of adaptations and revised versions of August Strindberg’s (1849-1912) Miss Julie that have been staged in recent years (for instance, the 2018 National Theatre… Kirby catches perfectly the idea of Julie as a damaged, overgrown child torn between total dependence on others and suspicion that she is seen as a moneybox anyone can shake and rattle. August Strindberg’s 1888 play “Miss Julie” is a staple of classic theatre. Set in a North London house bordering on Hampstead Heath, Julie at the National Theatre examines how class divisions and middle class ennui exist today and can result in similar tragic results. That I need it.”. Eric Kofi Abrefa is not helped by Jean’s lack of a backstory but conveys the character’s mix of attraction and repulsion towards the unstable Julie, and Thalissa Teixeira lends Kristina an unusual sexual vibrancy. In this version, Julie is a trustafarian who is still living at home with her wealthy papa, popping Xanax, snorting cocaine, and evidently not leading a terribly sheltered life – “I hold your hair up when you’re sick. Review: National Theatre’s Julie Provides a Fascinating Glimpse Into the Talents of Golden Globe Nominee Vanessa Kirby By Guest Author on March 5, 2021 • ( Leave a comment ) Image Courtesy National Theatre at Home. Review of Vanessa Kirby in Julie by Polly Stenham at the National Theatre, directed by Carrie Cracknell, designed by Tom Scutt. Review: Romeo and Juliet at the National Theatre There’s a lot of hugging in the National Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet. Simon Godwin reduces Romeo and Juliet to an hour and a half for the National Theatre’s cool new production, broadcast on Sky Arts. The play has such a clear plot, it … I pick you up after your abortion,” says Kristina in that same speech. War Horse and Julie join the 11 plays currently on the streaming service, including Mosquitoes and Yerma. So no great taboo is broken here by her having sex with a black chauffeur. Then Julie comes down and hauls John off to the dance (“It’s my birthday, it’s the solstice. Strindberg set the play in a world of rigid class distinctions for which Stenham finds no exact equivalent: if today a fat cat’s daughter had sex with a chauffeur, it might lead to chit-chat on social media but would hardly provoke the participants into dreaming of taking flight. With Steven Bush, Tom Kelsey, Vanessa Kirby, Eric Kofi-Abrefa. Directed by Carrie Cracknell, Matthew Amos. ‘Over-choreographed rather than spontaneous’ … Julie. Related Items featured review Stenham’s answer is to hint that Jean wants to get his hands on Julie’s wealth, but that merely turns him into a cynical opportunist. The play looks at the hypocrisies of middle class liberals in relation to the ill-paid immigrant work-force on whom their moneyed lives depend, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. It is playing at the National Theatre until 8 September. Let’s get pagan”), initiating a power game with him that will lead to sex and a savage struggle to the death. It is a production created solely for the screen. as a template. We’re in a mansion off Hampstead Heath. The coke-snorting Julie, in turmoil after a breakup with her partner, comes downstairs and demands a dance with Jean that, as in Strindberg, has disastrous results. Yaël Farber’s Mies Julie set the story in a post-apartheid South Africa still simmering with racial and class tensions. In Strindberg’s 1888 original, a count’s daughter fatally seduces her father’s valet. Time and time again, we see delicately lit close-ups of hands on shoulders, around necks, clutching backs. Jessica Wretlind 18th June 2018 Reviews Jessica Wretlind reviews Julie, a new adaptation of Miss Julie by Polly Stenham now playing at the National Theatre. Suits me. Below them, in the chic open plan kitchen, the help – Jean (Eric Kofi Abrefa), the family’s Ghanaian chauffeur, and his fiancee Kristina (Thalissa Teixeira), the Brazilian maid – tidy up and hold fort. This leads to awkward transitions from the upstairs party to the downstairs kitchen, where the characters confront each other across a space like the Grand Canyon. Carrie Cracknell’s production and Tom Scutt’s design are similarly overblown. Wild and single, Julie throws a huge party in her luxurious London house which rapidly descends into a fight for her own survival. There’s an increasingly desperate edge to her search for pleasure as, fresh from a breakup, she flings herself into this wild, comfortless cavorting. Kirby excels at playing this latest addition to the echt Stenham gallery: the posh lost soul wild child who is paying the penalties of privilege and personal trauma (the discovery of her mother’s dead body).