“Dadiow Lin’s direction of Patrick Merber’s play is phenomenal”
Patrick Merber’s After Miss Julie reimagines August Strindberg’s classic tragedy on the eve of Britain’s 1945 election. With mass welfare reforms on the horizon, including the founding of the NHS, the story looks to interrogate the class structures of its time in light of this. It follows one night of scandal between Julie, the daughter of a Labour MP, and her servant, John, whose soon-to-be wife, Christine, is both caught up and cast aside in their affair. This form, of naturalistic plays analysing class in household settings, is a tried and tested format. But Merber’s script is truly a thrilling piece of work. This is something director Dadiow Lin clearly understands, and her edition of the play is made with great consideration of his writing.
The result is a lead directorial debut by Lin which is an incredibly tight piece of work. She stages Patrick Marber’s play in the round, making it all the more scrutinous. This choice is a great accompaniment to the story’s portrayal of the post-war British class system, also allowing for some subtly spectacular visual moments. For a show so contained, I was not expecting it to pack such a punch.
The actors do a superb job giving real life to each character. Liz Francis makes an exceptional lead debut as the titular Julie. Francis’ Julie absolutely suffocates the room, played with a magnitude that is promising for any roles Francis hopefully takes on in the future. Tom Varey is excellent as John, who tussles with his power like it really is slipping away. There’s a desperation Varey gives John which deepens his character and manages to make him one you empathise with, even with his moments of violence. Charlene Boyd was a standout with her performance as Christine. Her use of voice is excellent, and not only in dialoge—one of the most exceptional moments of the performance came from a sharp breath she takes off stage. She brought alive the mundanity of Christine’s life, and performed with a restrained ferocity when needed. Many of Lin’s choices, to give space and moments of quiet, were on the whole great for these performances, even if some moments went on a little too long, or some moments of tension actually needed to be held a little longer. The dynamics between all three feel entirely organic, and watching them was an incredibly rewarding experience.
Much of this is assisted by some solid design. The lighting, particularly, is incredibly effective, especially a large fixture that hangs from above, at one point glowing alone like the moon. It’s incredibly atmospheric. The set design is generally era-appropriate and practical for the show, although the white paint of the furniture felt a little too modern. The main counter was split into two which allowed for decent movement of the set, although sometimes this was a bit clunky. It might have been better to keep the set more still, particularly as the play takes place entirely in one room. Some offstage portions of the room were used as well for small moments, like washing and making tea, but this sometimes felt like a bit of an afterthought, with the action not being very visible or obvious. But most of the show takes place in the well-lit centre stage, and the world here is fully imagined.
Lin’s edition of After Miss Julie is a gripping watch. It has you truly invested in its characters, and this engagement is very rewarding. The messaging about class is properly considered, and isn’t just played for the audience’s vindication. When John goes back to the same stool to clean his boss’ shoes at the end of the play he is lit by a solitary oil lamp, and the moment is played out at length, forcing us, after all the scandal, to rest with the inevitability of his mundane life. There’s a real sense of injustice here, and Lin’s inclination to let action rest on stage for a while allows us to really feel it.
After Miss Julie is on at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park, London, until 28th of Feb.