Some of the play’s flaws come from issues with the book, not least its length, which makes it worthy of at least two plays, if not a trilogy, and its baroque excess at times lacks realism. The content warning leaflets handed to audience members upon arrival are entirely warranted. Elliot Cowan, who depicts his trio of tormentors is another standout, with a softly chilling manner giving way to stomach-turning cruelty.īut the litany of what basically amounts to mediaeval tortures – paedophilia, graphic rape, visceral self-harm and violence, literal pools of blood – almost numb you to Jude’s pain. Past and present are interwoven, with figures from Jude’s childhood talking to his adult self, as his traumatic memories literally stalk him across the stage. It is a difficult read in more ways than one. And because it follows the story of such a broken, intense young man, it is a difficult read. It is a story about love and loss, of betrayal and friendship, of perseverance and giving in.

Screens on either side of the set show rolling footage of city streets and buzz with static, while a live string quartet provides the soundtrack, heightening the tension. Is A Little Life a hard read It is a story about Jude’s relationships and his impact on the people around him.

The staging is clever and immersive, with some audience members seated directly behind the action, and the cast cooking, eating, smoking and cleaning on stage before the show begins and throughout the production. One scene in which he sits quietly, alone and still, brought me close to tears he deserves every award he’s sure to be nominated for. He barely leaves the stage as his character is put through seemingly endless suffering. NATIONAL BESTSELLER A stunning portrait of the enduring grace of friendship (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for. His performance as Jude – from abandoned boy to broken man – is breathtaking.

It's a little life