Miss Julie Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...The problem is that you just don’t believe any of the three characters in the show — a show that separates the actors from the audience behind a scrim for the entire 95 minutes — actually desire any of the other characters. And yet, however you shake down Strindberg, or wherever or whenever you set the action in his plays, that’s the whole shebang. “The Dance of Death” is a dance with death; “Miss Julie” is a dance of desire. Leading to death, you could argue, petit or otherwise. But a dance of desire nonetheless."

Talkin Broadway - Somewhat Recommended

"...In its first production of the new year, Court Theatre is presenting August Strindberg's Miss Julie, translated by Harry G. Carlson. The production is visually impressive and the cast offers strong performances, but under Gabrielle Randle-Bent's direction, the show is not entirely successful in escaping Strindberg's misogyny to home in on the play's class issues."

Stage and Cinema - Not Recommended

"...“Uh oh,” was my first thought when the wall of lights behind the set for Miss Julie started flashing during the obligatory pre-show announcement to turn off phones. That sense of impending doom only grew when the flashing turned to strobing and a cacophony of electronica blasted out of the speakers as Kristine, the cook in the Count’s household, measured out ingredients and proceeded to make a batch of bread dough—in real time."

Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Somewhat Recommended

"...August Strindberg's Miss Julie is a seductive psychological drama set against the backdrop of a single Midsummer's Eve on a sprawling Swedish estate. Strindberg's play, written in 1888, explores social classes and the battle of the sexes, driven by the Naturalist concept that fate is not the core of humanity."

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...Based on an 1888 novel by August Strindberg and translated by Harry G. Carlson, “Miss Julie” is a timeless story of a restless, suffering bird locked in a gilded cage. She has a luxurious life, but is severely restricted by rigid, centuries-old traditions and a lack of personal freedom."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...The Court Theatre is known for its superior productions of the classics. Gabrielle Randle-Bent has added MISS JULIE to an ever-growing roster of fine presentations. This controversial play isn't an easy one to stage, and there's much to admire in her production. But there are also a few annoying problems. While this period play about arrogance and aspiration is sometimes perplexing and a little uncomfortable to watch, the struggle is still real. However, the play's technical support, as artistic and innovative as it may be, makes viewing the production difficult. The bright lights, the mesh cage that surrounds the playing area and the loud pre-show score provides a challenge for fully enjoying this production, despite the best efforts of a gifted director and cast."

Buzz Center Stage - Recommended

"...Court Theatre's Miss Julie, guided by Gabrielle Randle-Bent's disciplined direction, understands that these characters are caged long before the lights rise. The tragedy is that the scrim-meant to emphasize their confinement-keeps us from fully experiencing the suffocating intimacy that makes the play detonate. Strindberg wrote this as chamber music for three instruments. When we cannot quite see the musicians' fingers on the strings, some of the music is inevitably lost."

PicksInSix - Recommended

"...Harry G. Carlson’s translation of “Miss Julie” does more than hold up at Court Theatre. You’ll be entertained, but that is hardly the point. The actors and creative team make this undertaking look effortless, doing all the requisite work to ensure that the 130-year-old play lands squarely in your lap, offering you a chance to think critically about the themes that are as relevant today as they were at the end of the 19th century."

Splash Magazine - Recommended

"...This play continues to resonate because it delves into universal themes of class, gender, power, and the complicated dance of human relationships. It challenges us to look beyond surface pleasantries and confront the often uncomfortable truths about what drives us."

Allie and the After Party - Recommended

"...A one set play has the action of Miss Julie set in the heart of the home, the kitchen, where our titular character and one of her father’s valets face off in a mental chess game. Feeling like this could take place in the 1800s or today, it feels like a timeless space where our characters grapple with class structure and societal expectations."

NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Written in 1888, “Miss Julie” is the Swedish playwright Strindberg’s most famous play, a study of class and gender. It’s set on Midsummer’s Eve, a time when the sun stays long in the sky and anything can happen. Julie is drunk and wants to seduce her servant, Jean, who is Kristine’s sweetheart."