Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Theater Review: After Miss Julie

After Miss Julie, Relief That There Isn’t a Second Act
By Lauren Yarger
I didn’t think there was anything that could make me think last year’s mindless The Philanthropist with Matthew Broderick wasn’t so bad, but After Miss Julie, Roundabout Theatre Company’s latest offering at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway sure did.

Sienna Miller stars in Patrick Marber’s version of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, about a spoiled society girl who has a sadomasochistic affair with John (Jonny Lee Miller), a man servant on her estate, even though he’s sort of betrothed to Christine (Marin Ireland), the woman servant there, and despite the fact that Julie’s father and all of society is sure to object to a relationship across class lines.

While colleagues assure me that Marber’s adaptation, which moves the action from late 19th-century Sweden to post World War II London is true to the original, which I have not seen or read, I have to wonder why anyone would choose to produce this story in any form. These are a couple of really disturbed, unlikable people who seem to enjoy the danger of their relationship and using each other to assuage their own needs and fears more than they care about each other. They spend more time throwing stinging insults at each other then groping each other on the large work table on Allen Moyers massive set recreation of the estate’s kitchen.

In this version, directed by Mark Brokaw, there isn’t any visible sexual tension between the lovers; they just perform the actions and say the lines, which you’re lucky to hear (Jonny Miller’s accent makes it difficult sometimes, but I found I couldn’t hear the women at times too, David Van Tieghem, original sound design and music). Ireland’s performance is the strongest, but maybe that’s because Christine is the only one of the three who seems to have a grip on normalcy and gives the actress something concrete with which to work.

Otherwise, the play is incredibly boring and interruptions when three rude audience members allowed their cell phones to ring actually were welcome as other audience members seemed to be inciting a riot. At least this gave us some interesting action to watch. Occasionally some of the lines, though not intended for humor, bring robust laughter.

“I’m just a simple country girl, John,” says this woman who is anything but simple. She attempts to hurt herself and her lover offers her a cup of tea. You just have to laugh at the incongruity.

While I wasn’t mentally compiling my weekly shopping list as I had during The Philanthropist, I did find myself realizing I hadn’t checked to see whether there would be an intermission. A few minutes in I was hoping there would be one -- and soon -- because the dialogue just wasn’t taking me anywhere. About a half an hour in, I was really hoping this was a one-act which would be over soon. At the end of the play (which is 90 minutes without an intermission) my companion turned to me and said, “Is this a one-act?” We could only hope.

After Miss Julie plays through Dec. 6 at American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd St., NYC. Tickets are available by calling (212) 719-1300 or online at www.roundabouttheatre.org
For discounted group tickets go here and indicate the religious charity you wish to support is Masterwork Productions.

Christians might also like to know:
• Sexual dialogue
• Sex outside of marriage
• Sadomasochism
• Attempted rape
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Gracewell Prodiuctions

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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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