A Little Life

[NooNakedJacuzziness]

I watched Graham Norton last night and one of the guests was James Norton. He said he is appearing in a play of A Little Life soon in London. Apparently it's over 3 hours long. Having read the book (thanks to hearing about it on here) over a few weeks I'm not sure I could cope with such an onslaught of misery in one go, you'd come out needing a very stiff drink!

Anyone planning on seeing it? I'm fascinated by how they'd do it so might try and get tickets.

I have tickets for the lots show in June. I haven’t read it, though I’m aware of the misery and will read it before I go. The people I’m going with have read it and loved it. I, love James Norton.

I’ve read it, and absolutely loved it. I’m in 2 minds about the show…!

Looked it up and James Norton plays Jude apparently, not what I would have expected. I saw Jude as a physically weak, slightly androgynous and mixed race character! I know JN is a good actor but that's a stretch tbh

He plays tormented very well, so will do that part with ease.

I’d love to see how they do it but not sure I could handle the emotional torment.
I love James Norton but can’t imagine him as Jude, I think he’d make a good Willem though.

Wow I liked the book although agree I can’t see how it would fair as a play

JN is def not how I imagined Jude and it makes me think they are trying to ‘sex’ Jude up a bit.

I have read and love the book. Norton is not the image of Jude that I have in my head - I know he's supposed to actually be stunning and gorgeous (from others' perspectives) and James Norton just doesn't do that for the character, for me. Norton just looks too healthy and buff!

I'm tempted to see the show, but middling-priced seats are over £70 and I'm not sure I want to see it that much.

There's the Dutch version on YouTube apparently, if anyone's interested....

£70 a ticket?? Maybe not then!

Jude's definitely mixed race in the book!

I hated hated hated this book - although I did read it all - kudos to me.
I find it hard to imagine how they'll do the breadth of it justice on the stage. Even I would consider going despite my view of the book.

I really struggled with the book - I know lots of people think it's a masterpiece but the misery porn was just too much for me, although I did finish it eventually. There's no way I could sit through 3 hours of it in the theatre.

Also, James Norton is far too robust looking to be Jude, but not sure who I'd have instead.

I think Ezra Miller or Robert Sheehan would be good as Jude, not mixed race but both unusual looks.

Agree James Norton more of a Willem, hunky and fit.

Don't want to add spoilers but I felt that there came a point in the book where the author should have wrapped it up after that particular event. After that it almost became comically tragic, as though the author was almost trolling the reader. Basically it was about 33% too long.

Yes @illiterato - I was the same, it was a case of thinking 'well nothing else bad can happen surely' but oh yes it could!

I totally agree - it was just ridiculous by the end.
Yes to Robert Sheehan as Jude. Maybe Ben Whishaw?

I saw the play advertised. To be honest I thought the book was absolutely awful, really terrible. I only persevered because it was recommended by a friend of mine. But when I saw the play advertised I did wonder how it would work on stage. There’s only so many times an actor can pretend to cut themselves, then say ‘I’m sorry Willem.’ And the fawning over Jude would be sickening in real time. How will they express how good looking, insanely intelligent, proficient in music, and tragically fantastically amazing he is if he’s just payed by a regular human being?

And I know a lot of the criticisms are based on the miserably dark subject matter, but I dislike that because it implies if you criticise it you just can’t cope with difficult topics. But I didn’t find it too dark - I found it incredibly repetitive and poorly plotted, with really weak characterization, characters who didn’t develop in any way, and generally really unrealistic dialogue and plot points. The whole thing read (to me) like an amateur and not particularly talented or capable fanfiction writer’s ‘whump’ fiction.

I felt much the same about the book @Kanaloa. I couldn't warm to Jude, even after all he'd been through. I can't imagine how they'd portray his early years, too horrific.

Oh jesus, I didn't know they were adapting it to the stage. Even reading the book was harrowing, I can't imagine being able to watch the scenes of Jude's childhood, or his self harming. It'll be a tricky balance between not being horrifically visceral and also not doing the stage equivalent of 'cut to crashing waves'. I'll look out for reviews with interest to see how they handle it, but experiencing that story once in a lifetime was sufficient for me!

Also James Norton is very much what I'd have pictured Willem to look like. Jude for me would be more of a Tom Holland or Eddie Redmayne look.

It was the most depressing book ever. I hated it

I hated the book but I'm going to see the play because um, I'm insane?
Ha, no, I've never seen a West end play before, I know the story and I know who JN is so I thought I'd give it a go, it was a fairly cheap ticket anyway.
I'll report back in April.

Oh heck! If you hated the book I think you’re brave to say the least 😂

let us know!

Ha @OlleOskiFelle best of luck. I’m going for the last show. I’ve been to a few final shows over the years and there is something euphoric and crazy adrenaline by the end. This is ambitious, but I hope that you have a fab time. Theatre is a different medium to a book isn’t it, so you might find something different in it.

@OlleOskiFelle

Ooooh, please do remember to report back! I’d love to hear how they interpreted it onto the stage and how they depicted Jude’s levels of amazing brilliance without being annoying or ridiculous.