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've read the book, and saw the play last week. It really does strip out the tragic, depressing and shocking moments of the book and hurtle through them one after the other. The intensity and horror is unremitting, and four hours is a long time.

The friendships that carried the book aren't given much time in the play - Malcolm is a non event, Willem is flat, and while JB has more personality I wanted to see more of him.

JN incredible, as others have said, but the acting couldn't make up for the relentless misery without respite.

About half an hour from the end I began to find the whole spectacle ridiculous, as if my brain and emotions gave up at that point. Several people left at various points. It's a hard watch, with little of the cushion the book gives. I wish they'd allowed more time for the characters and friendships and cut down some of the plot.

It actually isn’t 😂 I just realised, DH had told me that another play I had wanted to see (Good, if anyone is interested) was coming to the small cinema near us with NT Live. In the same conversation we’d discussed A Little Life and for some reason I just substituted one with the other!

The friendships that carried the book aren't given much time in the play - Malcolm is a non event, Willem is flat

In absolute fairness, I think it would be very difficult to argue that the book is any different. Malcolm is literally pointless. You could remove him from the book altogether and it makes no difference. I can’t even think of one character trait he has or one way his character develops throughout the novel.

Spoiler alert - do they cover the horrific abuse that Jude went through as a child? If so how - presumably just talked about?

Just saw this yesterday. I only went to see it for James Norton and the naked scenes (I'm THAT shallow 😂) and he is superb. But the subject-matter if the play and all the endless misery is bloody awful. I'm quite robust (and as I mentioned shallow) though so it didn't affect me, but one woman had to be carried out of the audience and people were crying all over the place.

@NooNakedJacuzziness Yes, it's talked about but there are also a couple of scenes where actual abuse is shown (although of course James Norton is an adult)

I'm seeing Good in the cinema today.
I loved the film

I’m hopefully going soon. Was hoping to see it in theatre but couldn’t get time away during its short run!

Imagine doing it night after night - it must take a toll. James Norton must fancy doing a comedy next

I know!! I don't know why he agreed to do something like this given what a big star he is after Happy Valley (and all the other great stuff he did). Doesn't sound like a fun project doing it every day. Kudos to him though. He was AMAZING!! And he looks hot naked 👀🤩

I did see an interview with him where he mentioned being in therapy because of being badly bullied in boarding school, so maybe tormented character roles suit him.

God I bloody hated the book and won't be seeing the play, but thought if anyone could carry it off it would be James Norton, so glad to hear he is getting such positive reviews

He really is a superstar and able to play completely different characters- from the priest in Grantchester to Tommy Lee Roys in Happy Valley and Alex in McMafia. And all played brilliantly. He's unbelievably talented. The role of Jude is so incredibly difficult. I can't imagine how he does it every night. He'a probably the most talented young actor now.

I couldn't see him as hot in this at all, I could see Willem as hot though.
(I shouldn't say it but he has a bigger one too!)
I fancied the pants off him in Happy Valley though, god knows what that says about me.

Haha me too!! He was so handsome in Happy Valley (in a psycho-killer way of course 🤣). Willem was definitely hot in the play, but I don't think James Norton was inadequate in that department. Maybe I'm used to very below average men 😆 The naked sex scene with him in Willem on stage - how he agreed to do that being the big star that he is 😳

His is fine, I just couldn't help but notice, and IKR?
I'm currently totally in awe of him.

I absolutely hated the book and wouldn't go to see the show if you paid me even with James Norton in it.

I don't blame you and I wouldn't ever read the book after watching this never-ending obscene misery on stage for nearly 4 hours. I would never have gone to see it if not for James Norton. I think he alone is 100% the reason for the popularity of this utterly terrible play.

He was IN Willem?! Good grief that is a step too far on stage 😂

That really made me laugh!

Haha Freudian slip 😂

Course it was👀
You said you are shallow, I can match it😂

Wonder what percentage of people are only there because of Norton and what percentage because of the book and what the crossover is.

I hope it doesn't put people off theatre for good if Norton is what's made them go if they aren't regulars

Of all the books you could do a theatre adaptation of! 😬

What were they thinking? 😱

I'd say 100% of the audience are there to see Norton. I mean why else would anyone want to see this?!

Oh absolutely, people who like JN couldn't possibly read books too could they
FWIW I knew his name, but hadn't seen him in anything when I bought the ticket, I binged the whole of Happy Valley the week leading up to the last episode.
In fact I said upthread that I only knew of him, or did you ignore that so you could sound superior?