Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ivo van Hove’s focused, emotionally naked stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s devastating A LITTLE LIFE cuts deeply

• By drediman
• October 23, 2022
• No Comments

Last night at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, I settled in for a long night at the theater to take in the much talked about stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagirhara’s devastating 2015 novel A Little Life, which has become a celebrated literary work despite its difficult subject matter (abuse, suicide, etc.). The staging is the brainchild of Ivo van Hove – one the most recognizable auteurs of global theater – who first mounted the production in Europe for his company Toneelgroep Amsterdam in 2018. It now makes its highly anticipated New York premiere courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave festival (the show currently at BAM is performed in Dutch with English titles). The decades-spanning work gravitates around the story of Jude, a private man with a deeply troubled past that slowly reveals itself over the course of the grueling evening.

As an examination of the polarizing forces of cruelty and compassion, A Little Life is a compelling – if emotionally taxing – study in the confounding contradictions that make up the human experience. The theatrical adaptation by van Hove treats the novel’s many harrowing moments of abusive extremities (when you think things can’t get any worse for Jude, they do) with unflinching and uncompromising clarity yet imbues them with bewitching poetry. In short, the production represents van Hove at his most focused and unadorned; the director orchestrates scenes with control and subtlety, which haven’t always been the case in his productions. His skillful adaptation is in a state of perpetual intersection, allowing for several scenes to transpire simultaneously, which is effective from both a dramatic and storytelling efficiency standpoint. That’s not to say that novel’s theatrical manifestation rushes through Yanagihara’s narrative – van Hove’s staging slows down in key moments to maximize the emotional gravity of the situation. Altogether, van Hove’s work here is stunning.

The performances by the eight-person cast are nothing less than exceptional. They give lived-in performances that transcend the fact that the work is performed in Dutch (in fact, I think the lyrical lilt of the language actually goes a long way in diffusing the horrors of the story). In the central role of Jude, longtime van Hove muse Ramsey Nasr gives a titanic, emotionally naked performance that cuts deeply, daring you to look away as it seduces. It’s a slow-burning performance that gains in momentum until it startles you with the tidal wave of feeling raging beneath the character’s mysterious, stand-offish facade. Also galvanizing is Hans Kesting as Jude’s various vicious predators (Caleb, Brother Luke, Dr. Traylor). Maarten Heijmans’ thoughtful performance as Jude’s steadfast lover Willem provides much needed counterpoint to the atrocities that just won’t let Jude – and by extension, the audience – alone.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A LITTLE LIFE
Off-Broadway, Play
Brooklyn Academy of Music / BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
4 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Through October 29