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| Rebecca Tucker as Miss Julie. Photo by Matthew Lomanno |
Directed by Matt Cahoon, this US Premiere production of Howard Brenton’s new adaptation of August Strindberg’s 1888 play Miss Julie invites the audience into the kitchen of a home in Sweden. It tells the story of Julie, lady of the house, Jean, her father’s valet, and Kristin, the house cook and Jean’s fiancé. It is a story of lust, ambition and a desire to break through the barriers of class. When Julie and Jean give in to the building sexual tension between them, the unforeseen consequences are catastrophic.
At the start of the play, Julie is
a seemingly happy young woman who is enjoying a good time on a midsummer’s eve
while her father, the Earl, is away. She is playful and flirty with Jean, who
tries to resist her advances for fear of being caught by the other servants
with the Earl’s daughter. What is fascinating to watch is the game Julie and
Jean play with one another; especially when they each think they are in control
of it. Julie, who had sworn she would never let a man control her or have power
over her, allows herself to be wooed by Jean and when it doesn’t end how she had
hoped, it crushes her. She thought Jean was more than just a lover, she thought
he was a friend she could trust. When he reveals that this is not the case, she
is devastated by the decisions she made in her time of weakness. In the end,
after what seems like a complete psychotic break that Julie is unable to
recover from, she begs Jean to order her to do what she thinks will save her
from her mistakes.
Riveting from start to finish, this torturous story was performed by an
immensely talented trio that included Rebecca Tucker as Miss Julie, Nicholas
Wilder as Jean, and Carey Cahoon as Kristin. They were so in tune with their
characters and their relationships that the audience was quickly drawn into
their world. Yet, in watching their performances, it was as if the audience
didn’t exist and there really was a fourth wall in the kitchen. Their emotional
intensity was strikingly palpable.
Carey Cahoon’s portrayal of Kristin
gave a down to earth contrast to the boundless desires of Julie and Jean. Rebecca
Tucker’s powerful performance as Miss Julie captivated the audience. It was
apparent that she poured every ounce of herself into this character. No part
seemed forced or overdone, she was completely genuine. At the start she was
classy and charming with a touch of naiveté. Later her performance of Julie’s
rapid demise was done with raw emotional anguish. Her scenes with Jean,
incredibly played by Nicholas Wilder, were passionate yet fiercely destructive.
As Jean, Wilder was tender and affectionate, but also deceitful, cruelly
honest, and angrily heartbroken. He played Jean unlike any other character I
have seen him portray. Though I have enjoyed both Tucker and Wilder’s
performances in the past, their portrayals of Julie and Jean, might be the most
emotional, psychological and gut-wrenchingly transformative performances I’ve
seen them give.
When the final scene concluded and
the lights faded to black the audience sat silently stunned. The only thing
that could be heard were a few breathless whispers of “Wow”. Moments later the
lights rose for curtain call and it didn’t take long for the audience to stand
and applaud. If an audience member wasn’t standing by the time Rebecca Tucker
walked on stage they stood when she did. As one of the strongest casts I have
seen in recent memory, they deserved every moment of that standing ovation. ©
Miss
Julie runs about 80 minutes with no intermission and plays at the Winnipesaukee
Playhouse until June 23rd. Performances are Wednesdays through
Saturdays at 7:30pm with a matinee on June 21st at 2pm. Tickets
range from $20-$34. For additional information and tickets visit www.winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org
Special Events from the
Education Department:
Friday, June 15th – How’d They Do That?
Following the performance, you’re invited to join
the technical staff for a backstage tour of Miss Julie and learn the secrets of
the set.
Wednesday, June 20th - Talkback
Following the performance, you’re invited for an informal discussion with the cast and creative team.
Following the performance, you’re invited for an informal discussion with the cast and creative team.
Thursday, June 21st,
6-6:45pm – Symposium
Pre-show presentation offering
insight into the play. The Highest Shall
Be the Lowest: Perspectives on Power in Miss Julie. Presented by Timothy L’Ecuyer,
Education Director at The Winnipesaukee Playhouse
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