Lulu

Written Frank Wedekind, in a new version by Nicholas Wright
Directed: Jonathan Kent
Starring:Anna Friel (Lulu), Alan Howard (Schoning).
Story: The decline and fall of a young woman possessed of a fatal combination of overpowering sexuality and innocence, as she passes through Berlin and Parisian high society to the streets of London - destroying and ultimately destroyed by her lovers.

A round up of the press notices.....

This production has received mixed notices from the popular press... SHERIDAN MORLEY for TELETEXT says, "An actress taking on the part of Lulu is asking to be tested for major stage stardom. Anna Friel fails the test." NICHOLAS DE JONGH dos not the Almeida's temporary home in a disused station saying, "The stage is too big, broad and deep for the Almeida's style of intimate playing." His thoughts on Anna Friel's performance were, "Anna's bewitching Lulu is the femme with a fatal guile." MICHAEL COVENEY for THE DAILY MAIL says Anna Friel "is flat and slack-jawed in voice and delivery, almost embarrassing ". BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "The first challenge facing the actress playing Lulu is to exude - no, ooze - an effortless sexuality. Friel passes that test easily." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "This is a show that dismally fails to deliver the advertised goods. Friel is a terrible disappointment." THE DAILY MIRROR says, "If Nicole Kidman was theatrical Viagra when she stripped off in The Blue Room at the Donmar then Miss Friel is more like theatrical Horlicks." KEVIN JACKSON for the INDEPENDENT says, "Almeida goes for the laughs, at least in its skilfully played first half. Odder still, it gets them."PETER HEPPLE for THE STAGE says, "An epic subject, certainly, but hardly an epic play."

Originally published on

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