Review: THE HOUSE PARTY, Rose Theatre Kingston - Tour
Photo credit: Ikin Yum
Wow Besties, this one is intense! It’s Julie’s 18th birthday and she’s having a house party. As we take our seats, Olivia Rodrigo is playing, and this vibe of youthful jubilance and defiance continues as the play begins. Julie is getting ready with her friend Christine, downing wine and knocking back shots of tequila, but it soon becomes clear that the night isn’t going to go how she planned. Her boyfriend has just dumped her and as the party begins, the arrival of Christine’s boyfriend Jon, an employee of Julie’s dad, reveals harsh truths and a secret that will cause the collapse of a friendship and relationship.
The House Party is a modern retelling of the 19th century work by August Strindberg, Miss Julie. Laura Lomas has reimagined the play for the 21st century and demonstrates that the themes of class, power, and privilege are just as relevant for today’s generation. The modern setting blurs the lines between mistress and servant into friendship and, in turn, increases the intensity of the betrayal. The naturalism of the story and direction by Holly Race Roughan is punctuated by scene changes in the form of dance music and bold and punchy movement, from Frantic Assembly, performed by a fantastic ensemble. As the show builds to its shocking conclusion, the booming music and flashing lights make this a truly visceral theatrical experience.
Synnøve Karlsen is excellent as Julie, who is frequently described as “too much”. Karlsen gives her all to her performance as a lost and confused girl who, at heart, just wants to be loved. She is aware of the power she has, both as a woman and through the circumstance of her status, and Karlsen’s performance balances her endearing and despicable nature. She has brilliant chemistry with Sesley Hope who plays the long-suffering Christine, and provides some brilliant comedy in the opening scene as Julie relays some of her questionable actions and displays difficulty grasping basic concepts. Hope is heartbreaking and nuanced as Christine whose dreams of the future are a casualty of the messiness of the night. Tom Lewis completes the trio as Jon, a charming but naive northern boy trying to navigate a way to success.
As the name suggests, the play charts the progression of a birthday celebration, but The House Party is truly about what happens on the periphery, down in the kitchen. The expansive stage at the Rose Theatre leaves plenty of space for the action of the sizzling ménage à trois to take place and provides multiple entrances through which our trio can be disturbed. An upper level, sat behind netting, gives us glimpses into other areas of the party and the characters’ psyche but these moments are fleeting and feel a little underdeveloped. Conversely, the final scene of the play feels gratuitous as we learn what happened to our trio after the events of that fateful night. This is an addition to the original story of Miss Julie, and one feels that its inclusion diminishes the impact of the destructive events in the rest of the play.
The House Party wonderfully captures the messiness of youth and dark side of desire. This fresh and energetic take on a classic is well worth a watch.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Sophie Luck