Rebecca Frecknall’s modern take on Miss Julie brings Strindberg’s classic to life with a fresh, intense twist. Watch as Julie, John, and Christine get caught in a dangerous game of power and desire, featuring strong performances by Eefje Paddenburg, Minne Koole, and Hannah Hoekstra. Expect a raw, emotional rollercoaster that pushes the limits of vulnerability and self-destruction.

On a sweltering summer night, a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse is about to unfold. Julie, the volatile daughter of a wealthy magnate, yearns to break free from the constraints of her family and society. Opposite her stands John, her father’s driver, who harbors his own desires for rebellion and revolution. Between them stands Christine, the housekeeper, who is Julie’s confidant and John’s wife. What begins as a reckless flirtation soon transforms into an inescapable stalemate from which no one will walk away unscathed.

Rebecca Frecknall breathes new life into August Strindberg's Miss Julie (1888), bringing it into the 21st century. The production delves deep into themes of class, power, and the consequences of unbridled desires, all of which permeate the narrative.

About the Director

Rebecca Frecknall

Rebecca Frecknall’s fascination with Miss Julie began years ago. The play distills many of the recurring themes in her own work—human brutality and vulnerability—into their most extreme forms. As with other titles she has taken on, Frecknall was drawn to the complexity of Strindberg’s original characters and the irresistible challenges they present to the actors who take them on. These roles are some of the greatest written for young actors; they require immense depth and physical dexterity. With seemingly endless possible choices, the thrill of playing these roles remains seductive.

Politically charged, Miss Julie reveals the harsh realities of living under patriarchal structures, exposing the paradox of individuals attempting to live freely within systems designed to restrict them. The play unfolds as an exploration of the consequences of living within a construct that inhibits intimacy and vulnerability, pitting people against one another as competitors. The characters navigate a world that drives them into profound loneliness, a catalyst that ultimately leads to self-destruction.

This new version of Miss Julie delves into cyclical generational trauma, exploring the characters’ inability to rewrite their own stories and break free from their societal labels. Beyond the division of social classes, it becomes a profound exploration of self-perception, as we watch the characters transform into the monsters society has deemed them to be.

Rebecca Frecknall on Julie:
"I am endlessly fascinated by the power dynamics between men and women on stage, and few plays explore these sexual and political undercurrents in more volatile and complex ways than Strindberg’s Miss Julie. The three young characters ricochet and rebound between love and hate, desire and repulsion, reckless confidence and paralyzing fear across one night which changes each of their lives. The kitchen becomes a battleground, a bunker, a stage, a grave, a gymnasium—requiring the actors to become emotional gymnasts and push the limits of their craft.

Written over 130 years ago and originally banned for its strong language and sexual content, the play still has the capacity to arrest, shock, and provoke an audience. Miss Julie explores just how far humans can push each other and exposes the destructive power we each harbor."

In her home country, the United Kingdom, Rebecca Frecknall (born in 1986) is best known for her Olivier Award-winning direction of Cabaret—a classic 1960s musical set in 1930s Berlin. The Evening Standard described her work as “superb” and hailed her as “one of our most exciting directors.” Frecknall is also the Associate Director at London’s Almeida Theatre, where she has directed plays such as Three Sisters by Chekhov and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The Times called her Streetcar production “raw, poetic, painful and plausible. Funny, too.”

About the Theatre Company

International Theater Amsterdam (ITA)

On January 1, 2018, Amsterdam Stadsschouwburg and Toneelgroep Amsterdam merged to form Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA). Since the 2018-2019 season, ITA has been dedicated to acting as a beacon for contemporary theatre, catering to audiences from Amsterdam and beyond. It leads the way on both national and international levels, producing a high-quality program that includes 600 national and international theatre and dance performances every year. ITA also engages with social programs that appeal to diverse audiences, offering new ways of understanding and seeing the world.

Credits

After August Strindberg
Adaptation and Direction: Rebecca Frecknall
Translation and Dramaturgy: Anna Sijbrands
Scenography: Chloe Lamford
Lighting Design: Jack Knowles
Music: George Dennis
Costumes: An D'Huys

Cast: Eefje Paddenburg, Minne Koole, and Hannah Hoekstra

• Stage & Dance