“A daughter who disobeys is no longer a daughter. She becomes your enemy.”
The atmosphere is full of excitement and as the lights go down, the curtain rises to reveal a multi-story stage. The audience goes silent.
The House Of Bernarda Alba at the National Theatre is a brilliant but sad story of a family battling between love and loss. Set in 1945 Spain, the carefully crafted story follows a mother and her five daughters mourning the loss of their late father. The tragedy, moving, exciting and engaging tells of a household ruled by a restrictive mother and a daughter, Adela, who battles in pursuit of passion and freedom. The story is spellbinding and you could not help but notice an excitement in the air, the audience almost on the edge of their seats. The powerful scenes, punctuated by a few moments of universal laughter from the audience, truly describe a family struggling with loss, restricted by social conventions and the play faces the harsh reality of the past.
The cast was fabulous. Harriet Walter, playing the indomitable mother plays the character brilliantly. She brought to life the Character of Bernarda in a compelling and thoughtful way. The daring Adela, played by Isis Hainsworth, is a fabulous portrayal of a young woman who wants the freedom to act and do as she pleases but who is restricted by her grieving mother.
A must-see show, with an amazing cast and a stage that is marvellous. The House of Bernarda Alba at the National Theatre Lyttelton Theater is on until January 6th 2024.
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-house-of-bernarda-alba/
