As the audience enters, the characters of A Little Life are socialising and enjoying a friendly gathering in an idyllic New York apartment. Malcolm (Zach Wyatt) sets up a model of an architectural project (He’s an architect wouldn’t you know). It’s a cosy scene that introduces the
vivacious artist JB (Omari Douglas) and likeable actor Willem (Luke Thompson). Jude (James Norton) appears quiet and slight but content among his friends. This warming impression does not last long. I knew nothing of the book and had no idea what was in store. A Little Life proved a shocking and memorable reminderto google a play before accepting discounted tickets from a friend.
A Little Life utilises technical features by JanVersweyveld with a slow plod through the streets of New York projected on the walls of the traverse stage. The effect, meant to provoke the bustling life of New York, also ensures the audience’s nausea provoked by the plot are complimented
by the nausea induced through motion sickness. The floor beneath the centre-stage wash-basin; one can only assume is red as a pragmatic way to prevent staining of stage as a result of the repeated theatrical blood-letting. It also had the effect of foreshadowing the graphic depictions of self-harm to come. In its depiction comes a sliver of respect for the work of Susanna Peretz’ prosthetics, which might be more appropriate in a Halloween scare maze than a drama about the legacy of abuse.
A Little Life tells the upsetting story of Jude St Francis, an orphan who suffers terrible abuse at the hands of a paedophile. Jude runs away from his care home and is kidnapped, tortured and later permanently disabled by a sadistic capture. He goes to Yale and becomes a lawyer before
being brutally attacked and violated in his home and later bereaved. We see Jude go through these moments and watch him struggle with his trauma. He copes with self-harm as his friends and adopted father Harold (Zubin Varla) attempt to unpack his past whilst his doctor and confidant Andy (Emilio Doorgasingh) try to help him manage his physical disability. Jude’s pain is visceral and Norton’s performance throughout the various stages of his life are powerful. The cast all perform their scenes with Jude well, with occasional moments of excruciatingly gauche dialogue handled convincingly. However, despite talented performances by the cast, the gratuitous and tasteless treatment of the subject matter was troubling. The audience on stage is illuminated during the emotive moments, grandstanding the reaction of its viewers. The audience watch helplessly as Jude is realistically abused and tortured. The plot and characters may not be real, but the subject matter still requires tact. The unending and improbable unfortunate life that Jude lives feels like a parody.
The novel by Hanya Yanagihara suffered from this criticismat the time. Jude’s sexuality and the nature of his friendship group feel untethered to lived experience of the queer community. Jude seemingly derives his sexuality from his abuse by predatory men and his friends treat his past
like a sad but beautiful puzzle. This romanticisation of abuse combined with the blunt relentlessly grim depictions leaves no room for insight or intrigue, only voyeurism.
Theatrical, heightened stories can be valuable. Theatre that presents a blurring of melodrama and real life can be cathartic. However, subjects like sexual assault and paedophilia do not need heightening and should not be entertainment. Ultimately, theatre can tell us stories, it can explore characters and it can discuss real issues; but it’s a form of entertainment. There are other more effective ways to tell these stories.