The house of Bernarda Alba

        I think the play comments very effectively on the pressures of convention, the imprisoning effect of mourning customs and the frustration of female sexuality. It brings to question a lot of issues such as what happens when authority becomes tyranny? And what happens when male-female relationships are seen in terms of power and advantage?

        The set of the play, shown in the Lyttelton Theatre, was amazing. It gave the very feel of a wealthy house in a Spanish village, by use of sharp lighting and wooden flooring. There was a sense of vast humidity because of this and sitting as an audience member in the dark I could feel the heat. There was clever use of offstage voices and noises to remind us that there is a world elsewhere. This is especially important and effective with Lorca's play, in which the outside world refuses to respect Bernarda's will and keep its distance. What I enjoyed most was watching the relationships between the five sisters. Among them were rapidly built tensions and indications of madness and conflict, which are relentlessly sustained until the dramatic climax. Hints of dry humour from certain characters juxtaposed with rigid more earnest characters show the diversity of 5 girls with such self-determination yet in exactly the same circumstance.

        The only criticism I have of the production is its length, primarily because I had never seen a production staged for such an extensive duration. It was also, at times, quite slow moving and not very neat in places, I put this down to it being the opening night. I think if I was to have seen it a few weeks into its showing then it would have proved more stimulating. However, it was far worthier of my time than enduring three hours of “Lord of the rings”!

Hannah Taylor (455)