Mademoiselle Julie

Synopsis

In this modern-day production of Strindberg’s naturalistic text, the timeless themes of love, lust and desire are set against a backdrop of social conventions worth challenging. The tragedy of the three main protagonists unfolds under the watch of an ensemble of performers. The piece is framed by striking, contemporary staging, breathing new life into a classic play.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 21 September 2012

Juliet Binoche makes her third irresistible, scintillating appearance on the London stage in this immensely stylish and well-modulated production of Strindberg's great one-act play from the Avignon Festival, playing a languorous aristocrat swept up in a midsummer madness of drink, dance and sexual adventurism.

The setting is modern - one of the first songs we hear at the party is Blondie's "Hanging on the telephone" - but the French text (with surtitles) is completely faithful to the original, or at least very similar to the Michael Meyer translation.

But the action - which is stretched out to last for two absorbing hours - is removed from the single-set large kitchen to a big white area that is a poetic space containing a forest of silver birches, the outline of a country house pavilion and a conservatory of sliding glass panels.   Laurent P Berger's design and lighting is a fluctuating mood chamber, with areas picked out for emphasis. The incursion (marked a "b...

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Latest User Review

Gill B - 26 September 2012:

I came to Mademoiselle Julie from the opposite end of the spectrum from JEChenique, having no knowledge of the play at all, so I had no expectations of it beyond my pleasure at having a chance to see Juliette Binoche live, and my anticipation of seeing my first Strinberg. Apart from these differences, however, I absolutely agree with his/her critique. My husband said as we left "This has just gone to the top of my list of plays never to see again". Sad! ...

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