TW: Mention of self-harm, suicide and sexual abuse.
Charley Sands
Happiness, joy and excitement. Three words you will never hear anyone utter after watching A Little Life at the Harold Pinter theatre.
Although during the three hours of the play, I was stuck in a state of trauma and mourning, I am still mesmerized by how brilliantly the play was executed and the skill and resilience of the actors.
If you are not aware, this book and play contain themes of self-harm, suicide and sexual abuse. When these traumatic events happen to Jude, the protagonist, on stage it hit like they were happening to me or a loved one every single time. As an A-level student, stressed with exams and pressure about my future, this play was definitely not the chance to relax I expected, but either way, I’ve never been so glad to both enter and leave a theatre alive, healthy and happy.
The storyline follows the main character Jude, who experiences sexual abuse by three different men throughout his lifetime. I watched, fascinated and surprised, as it became obvious that there was only one actor playing these three separate characters, powerfully highlighting themes of PTSD, generational trauma and blame.
There were also scenes of nudity within the play which many members of the audience found unnecessary and slightly vulgar, however, due to the beautifully harrowing nature of the play, I barely noticed if the characters were clothed or not.
THE BOOK VS THE PRODUCTION
“I did notice some slight changes in the play, most of which were for the better.”
As an avid fan of the original book, I did notice some slight changes in the play, most of which were for the better. The character of Harold, Jude’s adoptive father, is a lot more present and familial throughout the play, unlike the book.
After he is first introduced he stays at a kitchen unit cooking on the sidelines of the stage, representing the simple, domestic reality Jude wished for during his childhood. Jude’s social worker, Ana, is also much more present in the play, whereas in the book she only appears in brief anecdotes.
It was very interesting that she was the only female character in the entire show, highlighting the key themes of male friendships and relationships in the story – themes which are usually neglected in literature.
MEETING THE CAST
“It was important to remember this is work of fiction, and none of the actors were hurt, died or abused in this three-hour slot.”
Meeting members of the cast in person changed my perspective of the play slightly, and calmed my mood. It was important to remember this is a work of fiction, and none of the actors were hurt, died or abused in this three-hour slot.
Luke Thompson who plays Jude’s closest friend Willem, and James Norton who plays Jude himself, seemed like sensitive and genuinely lovely people, which definitely helped many who felt lost and hurt by the play.
Norton confessed that he felt unusually tired after that night’s performance and that some nights he feels worse than others. This is an accurate representation of mental health in general, especially depression, which is a major element of the play.
“I left the theatre with tears in my eyes, shaking, and begging to go home”
Nevertheless, as any theatre geek does, I got my copy of the book signed by the cast and I’d never felt happier until I actually remembered what I’d just watched. But I don’t regret it in the slightest.
I left the theatre with tears in my eyes, shaking, and begging to go home, like a 5-year-old terrified of the monsters in her wardrobe. Although I do sound slightly traumatised – which is not a completely incorrect assumption – I have so much love and admiration for the author, director and cast of A Little Life, and it will always be a book I hold near to my heart.
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Image courtesy of Rob Laughter via UnSplash. No changes were made to this image. See image license here.
