Very midsummer madness

First appeared: Evening Star, Ipswich, October 2006

Miss Julie, by August Strindberg
Mercury Theatre Company
Colchester Mercury until October 14

HAVE you ever had one of those emotional arguments which seem to be turning-points in your life – but you don't know which way you're turning?

Huge decisions can be made in overheated discussion in which love or hate, going or staying, can change and change again in an instant.

Even at the time part of you might look on in disbelief, thinking: “If this were written down, no one would believe it”.

Strindberg encapsulated just such an occasion in Miss Julie.

The central characters change their minds so quickly, so radically, so often that it is preposterous, laughable. And yet, deep down, strangely true to human nature.

On midsummer's night, there is a servants' ball in the big house. While most of the staff are upstairs revelling, Jean the footman is in the kitchen.

There he is accosted by the privileged Miss Julie. At first, she flirts, and then it turns more serious. Life plans are hatched, changed, and re-hatched.

And there is also the proper, church-going cook Christine, Jean's fiancée, to consider – or not.

Into this heated pot, Strindberg throws a generous handful of ideas that were hot when he was writing, in1888.

There is the question of class, of “us” and “them” and what prospect, if any, Jean might have of crossing the divide.

There are gender stereotypes to be confronted. There is a brief interlude of dream analysis and a passing mention of hypnotism; a clash between religious belief and unbelief.

There is also, of course, a nod towards the convoluted love lines of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

And surely a gentle snook is cocked at Strindberg's older contemporary and fellow Scandinavian, Henrik Ibsen.

Ibsen was famous for ending with an offstage gunshot. Strindberg is more subtle and teasing.

But above all, his play is fun – and this rollicking production is a real treat.

Victor Gardener (Jean) gives a well-judged performance as he goes from stolid to reckless, upright citizen to rogue.

The impetuous Julie is delightfully done by Kate Copeland. Through all her crazy twists and turns, she seems to be making it up as she goes along, which is exactly right.

And Charlie Morgan is spot-on too as the put-upon, reliable, sensible Christine.

Most of the way, she has your sympathy. Then, at the end, you wonder whether her sanity and decency is really so much better than the wildness and unpredictability around her.

Most of all, you wonder why you're leaving a tragedy with a big grin on your face.