The Chichester Festival production of The House Party - a radical adaptation of Strindberg's Miss Julie - opens its UK tour at Leeds Playhouse (February 21-March 1), with further performances at HOME Manchester (March 24-29).
It’s Julie’s 18th birthday and she’s throwing a party in her father’s extravagant townhouse. Her boyfriend has just dumped her and her long-suffering best friend Christine is trying to pick up the pieces. As the revellers pile into the booze, down in the kitchen Christine and her boyfriend Jon – son of Julie’s cleaner – clear up and dare to dream of the future. But as the volume goes up and the shots go down, Julie concocts a twisted cocktail of privilege, desire and destruction.
Sesley Hope (Miss Kenworthy in Bridgerton) will play Christine; Synnøve Karlsen (Miss Austen, Last Night in Soho, Clique) will play Julie and Tom Lewis (Patience, Gentleman Jack, Breach), from Leeds, will play Jon.
Written by Laura Lomas (Metamorphoses, The Blue Woman, Chaos), The House Party continues the Playhouse’s long-term partnership with touring companies Headlong and Frantic Assembly and will feature members of Frantic Assembly’s Ignition programme – a free, nationwide talent development programme for people aged 16-24, which includes young people from the Leeds area.
Director Holly Race Roughan said: “I couldn't have hoped for a sharper, more thrilling group of young actors to ignite the 1800s fire in Laura Lomas' scorching modern take on Miss Julie.
“For many this show marks their professional stage debut. The teenage party is back– electric, unrelenting, and ready to pull you in – no matter what your age."
Info and tickets here