The House Party at Leeds Playhouse – one party invite you don’t want to miss

The House Party, a contemporary reimagining of Strindberg’s Miss Julie, bursts with raw energy and visual spectacle. 

After premiering at Chichester Festival Theatre, the play now embarks on its UK tour, making a stop at Leeds Playhouse before heading to Manchester’s HOME Theatre from 25 until 29 March. 

Written by Laura Lomas and directed by Holly Race Roughan, the play unfolds in a dynamic, post-modern setting that is both exhilarating and unsettling.

At the heart of this production is Julie, a young woman at a desperate crossroads in life. Her 18th birthday party becomes the catalyst for a series of charged and volatile encounters. 

This collaboration between two powerhouse theatre companies – Headlong Theatre, known for its visual artistry, and Frantic Assembly, famous for its contemporary movement – results in a performance electrified by style and energy. 

Movement director Scott Graham transports the audience into the chaotic, adolescent world of a house party through highly stylized choreography. The seamless blending of visual, audio, and movement is one of the production’s standout elements, crafting a playground that reflects the naivety and childlike behavior of the characters.

Synnøve Karlsen’s portrayal of Julie is nothing short of captivating. She expertly navigates the emotional volatility of a character who is both searching for connection and consumed by loneliness. 

The play’s choreography, full of wild dance numbers and frenzied intoxication, amplifies Julie’s spiralling emotional state. Karlsen’s performance is a powerful exploration of a young woman’s internal struggles with identity, heartbreak, and the longing for validation.

The supporting cast also delivers strong performances. Sesley Hope brings a haunting depth to Christine, a woman caught between loyalty and personal aspiration, while Tom Lewis, as John, plays a quiet, longing character who is entangled in Julie’s tumultuous world. His yearning for her encapsulates the central theme of unattainable love that permeates the story.

While the production’s energy is undeniably captivating, at times it overwhelms the quieter moments of reflection that underscore the deeper themes of loneliness and isolation. 

The digital clock, counting down the time of the party, serves as a stark metaphor for the fleeting nature of the characters’ lives, their brief connections, and their doomed desires. However, the relentless momentum sometimes drowns out the subtler, more poignant moments that provide emotional depth to the play.

In the end, The House Party is a compelling modern take on a classic drama. Its vibrant, high-energy atmosphere pulls the audience in, while the complex emotional currents linger long after the performance ends. 

It’s a tense, occasionally uncomfortable exploration of intimacy, isolation, and the messy, often painful consequences of desire.

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Featured image: Ikin Yum