“A Production in its Prime with a Script that Doesn’t Hit the Mark”
The National Theatre of Scotland’s newest adaptation of Miss Jean Brodie is truly a spectacle. As soon as the audience sits in the auditorium, it becomes clear that this will be a jaw dropping production. The imposing staircase, topped by a massive hanging lampshade looks slick and classy. The backdrop, movable and featuring an array of projections, adds a sense of dynamism to the stage. This is only heightened by the costuming design, and the slight changes through the play to highlight a loss of innocence and darker second act. The team of set, costume and technical designers: Chloe Lamford, Lizzie Powell, Lewis den Hertog, Pippa Murphy and Anna Orton cannot be applauded enough for their work. You do not want to take your eyes off of it.
Away from the design, this production features a talented troupe of actors that demand attention from their first introductions. Gayle Rankin is utterly fantastic and has a commanding presence as the titular Miss Jean Brodie, conveying an intensity that does not falter. Her clutch of girls: Mary MacGregor (Liberty Black), Joyce Emily (Sophie Fortune), Monica Douglas (Tallulah Greive), Jenny Gray (Shreya Khaund Marshall) and Sandy Stranger (Bobby Rainsbury) are portrayed to excellence, with each actor building their characters to captivate the audience and gain our sympathies as they grow and feel the effects of their teacher.
The men vying for Miss Brodie’s attention, Lowther and Lloyd, played by Brian Ferguson and Dyfan Dwyfor respectively, bring opposing lights to the effect of Miss Brodie’s charms and attentions. Dwyfor showcases the rage of the scorned artist, while Ferguson brings an optimistic presence that wrestles away from his muse and grows despite her. The stand out performance, however, comes from Maureen Beattie, who shines with every second on the stage as headmistress Miss MacKay. It is Beattie’s ability to effortlessly portray MacKay’s sense of duty and care for the pupils that centres her as a kind of moral centre, perfectly opposing Rankin’s more radicalised Brodie. The whole cast perform admirably and cannot be commended enough for the work they put in.
This is all capped off by the direction of Vicky Featherstone, aided by movement director Charlotte McLean and associate director Sally Reid. They manage to pull together a range of wonderful performances, and integrate a sickness of movement that compliments the design and adds to the spectacle of the show. Indeed, this piece is beautiful and deserves to be seen. It is the coming together of all these parts that makes this piece an, and on the surface forms a near perfect production.
Unfortunately, the production is held back by one of its foundational pieces, the script. David Harrower’s 2018 adaptation, developed for this run of performances, lacks the brilliance of the design and performances. The first act follows the girls coming to Miss Brodie’s classroom and falling under her spell or being cast aside. It is a long opening half, yet at points feels rushed. The relationship building does not feel earned and we seem to fly through the year without really seeing these children building their love for this powerhouse teacher. There seems, in the opening half, to have been an onus on showcasing Miss Brodie’s beliefs and sensibilities without taking adequate care with the growing relationships and the set of girls that follow their mentor.
The second act fails to deliver on the attempted build up of the first. It feels rushed and messy at times, with characters flitting around Miss Brodie without getting the time to develop the views and anxieties that move them further from the eponymous Miss. This leads to a finale that falls flat, and does not have the impact that the production deserves. While Miss Jean Brodie gets all the focus in this script, it fails to truly track the effect she has on her pupils and peers, and casts their character journeys to the side, culminating in something that feels undercooked, and missing the heart of the Muriel Sparks story, the girls.
This is a wonderful production that is hampered by a script that loses sight of the heart of the story. Its unwavering focus on Miss Jean Brodie leaves the rest of the characters in the lurch, creating a thrilling spectacle that falters in momentum when you remove the beauty of the staging and the power of the acting.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie runs until 18th October 2026 at the Lyceum, before continuing to tour across Scotland until the 7th November 2026.