Bedford Theatre Has Earned Its Survival

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31837, 15 November 1968, Page 12

Bedford Theatre Has Earned Its Survival

Miss Julie. By August Strindberg. Bedford Theatre Club. Produced by Mervyn Thompson. Running time 8 p.m. to 9.35 p.m. November 14-18 inclusive.

Strindbergs triumph in writing, "Miss Julie” lies in the demonstration of a public tragedy within a framework of only two characters, neither reduced to types. The inevitable result, however, is that the title-role demands the portrayal of a very broad social dilemma, while at the same time preserving some individuality. Faced with this difficulty, Linley Sharp was masterful. Not only did she present a thoroughly convincing relic (and symbol) of the old warrior aristocracy, but at the same time she remained an irresponsible young woman, enfeebled by her sex, her sleeplessness, and liquor.

Han Van Wamel’s role of Jean, though admittedly easier, was also played with impressive confidence. In place of the shifty and unscrupulous social profiteer which is perhaps the most obvious interpretation, Mr Van Wamel acted an impetuous youth victimised by his manhood. “Tonight we’re just ordinarypeople trying to be happy—there's no question of class” was taken by him at its face value, and most traces of his slavish disposition were lost before the love-making. This made Jean a figure with much more of Strindberg’s “soul,” and at the same time did not essentially detract from his

significance as the instrument of his society’s tragedy: if anything it heightened it by giving him the universality of an ordinary young man. Occasionally, he tended to anticipate his lines, and his relationship —ith Kristen at the start was a little too close to make the transition wholly convincing.

Annette Facer (Kristen) played her minor part with commendable restraint. Her mime was minimised—a wise move, as it is probably one of the structurally weaker parts of the play. At the final stage, her aggressiveness was emphasised a little too much, and her role of the moderator became rather too obvious. The first half of the play moved fast (as it needs to), but the calculated manipulation of the dialogue gave it an almost well-made slickness in places, and magnified a fault innate in the play. It should become apparent from the triviality of some of these points that there is nothing basically awry in the production. With this success behind it, and a formidable programme ahead of it, the Bedford Theatre has fully earned its survival. Mervyn Thompson's production is a triumph. —H. D. McN.